diff --git a/.github/parm/test_settings.conf b/.github/parm/test_settings.conf
index 05e7a5d005..01cbc7f58d 100644
--- a/.github/parm/test_settings.conf
+++ b/.github/parm/test_settings.conf
@@ -14,3 +14,6 @@ GEMPAKTOCF_JAR = /data/input/GempakToCF.jar
 
 # also set location of GFDL Tracker executables
 GFDL_TRACKER_EXEC = /usr/local/bin
+
+[user_env_vars]
+METPLOTPY_BASE = {METPLUS_BASE}/../METplotpy
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/Users_Guide/systemconfiguration.rst b/docs/Users_Guide/systemconfiguration.rst
index b823a8f9c2..35ac0a4ee2 100644
--- a/docs/Users_Guide/systemconfiguration.rst
+++ b/docs/Users_Guide/systemconfiguration.rst
@@ -154,6 +154,18 @@ change the value appropriately::
 
     MET_BIN_DIR = {MET_INSTALL_DIR}/exec
 
+
+METPLOTPY_BASE (user_env_vars)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+This is the path to the location where METplotpy is installed.
+The variable is found under the [user_env_vars] section heading, which
+will set it as an environment variable. See :ref:`user_defined_config`
+for more information on the [user_env_vars] section.
+This variable is referenced in some METplotpy functions.
+It is not necessary to set this variable if METplotpy will not be used or if
+it is already set in the user's environment.
+
 .. _metplus_final_conf:
 
 METPLUS_CONF
diff --git a/parm/metplus_config/defaults.conf b/parm/metplus_config/defaults.conf
index e4636ba47a..2122f41e34 100644
--- a/parm/metplus_config/defaults.conf
+++ b/parm/metplus_config/defaults.conf
@@ -107,3 +107,14 @@ LOG_DEBUG_LINE_FORMAT = {LOG_LINE_FORMAT}
 LOG_INFO_LINE_FORMAT = %(asctime)s.%(msecs)03d %(name)s %(levelname)s: %(message)s
 
 LOG_LINE_DATE_FORMAT = %m/%d %H:%M:%S
+
+###############################################################################
+# METplotpy Installation Location                                             #
+#   * Uncomment and set METPLOTPY_BASE to the path where                      #
+#     METplotpy is installed. This is not necessary if METplotpy will not be  #
+#     used or if METPLOTPY_BASE is set in the user's environment.             #
+###############################################################################
+
+[user_env_vars]
+
+#METPLOTPY_BASE= /path/to/METplotpy
diff --git a/parm/use_cases/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_CrossSpectraPlot.conf b/parm/use_cases/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_CrossSpectraPlot.conf
index 44a433f6c5..92f9ba76eb 100644
--- a/parm/use_cases/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_CrossSpectraPlot.conf
+++ b/parm/use_cases/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_CrossSpectraPlot.conf
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ LOG_LEVEL = "INFO"
 
 INPUT_FILE_NAMES = {INPUT_BASE}/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_CrossSpectraPlot/SpaceTimeSpectra_ERAI_P_D200_symm_2spd.nc,{INPUT_BASE}/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_CrossSpectraPlot/SpaceTimeSpectra_ERAI_TRMM_P_symm_2spd.nc,{INPUT_BASE}/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_CrossSpectraPlot/SpaceTimeSpectra_ERAI_P_D850_symm_2spd.nc
 
-METPLOTPY_BASE = {METPLUS_BASE}/METplotpy
-
 YAML_CONFIG_NAME = {METPLUS_BASE}/parm/use_cases/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_CrossSpectraPlot/spectra_plot.yaml
 
 OUTPUT_DIR = {OUTPUT_BASE}/plots/
diff --git a/parm/use_cases/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_Hovmoeller.conf b/parm/use_cases/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_Hovmoeller.conf
index ed4ef9111b..3f99880699 100644
--- a/parm/use_cases/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_Hovmoeller.conf
+++ b/parm/use_cases/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_Hovmoeller.conf
@@ -23,5 +23,4 @@ YAML_CONFIG_NAME = {PARM_BASE}/use_cases/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPr
 
 INPUT_FILE_NAME = {INPUT_BASE}/model_applications/s2s/UserScript_obsPrecip_obsOnly_Hovmoeller/precip.erai.sfc.1p0.2x.2014-2016.nc
 
-METPLOTPY_BASE = {METPLUS_BASE}/../METplotpy
 OUTPUT_DIR = {OUTPUT_BASE}/plots