diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1ebc0ae2..04197169 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 | [CPLFCST_Etc](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/CPLFCST_Etc)                         | [v1.0.1](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/CPLFCST_Etc/releases/tag/v1.0.1)                               |
 | [ecbuild](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/ecbuild)                                 | [geos/v1.4.0](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/ecbuild/releases/tag/geos%2Fv1.4.0)                       |
 | [ESMA_cmake](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/ESMA_cmake)                           | [v3.56.0](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/ESMA_cmake/releases/tag/v3.56.0)                              |
-| [ESMA_env](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/ESMA_env)                               | [v4.29.2](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/ESMA_env/releases/tag/v4.29.2)                                |
+| [ESMA_env](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/ESMA_env)                               | [v4.34.0](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/ESMA_env/releases/tag/v4.34.0)                                |
 | [FMS](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/FMS)                                         | [geos/2019.01.02+noaff.10](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/FMS/releases/tag/geos%2F2019.01.02%2Bnoaff.10) |
 | [FVdycoreCubed_GridComp](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/FVdycoreCubed_GridComp)   | [v2.13.0](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/FVdycoreCubed_GridComp/releases/tag/v2.13.0)                    |
 | [geos-chem](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/geos-chem)                             | [geos/v13.0.0-rc1](https://github.com/GEOS-ESM/geos-chem/releases/tag/geos%2Fv13.0.0-rc1)           |
diff --git a/components.yaml b/components.yaml
index a88b2bcb..f0257048 100644
--- a/components.yaml
+++ b/components.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ GEOSgcm:
 env:
   local: ./@env
   remote: ../ESMA_env.git
-  tag: v4.29.2
+  tag: v4.34.0
   develop: main
 
 cmake:
diff --git a/parallel_build.csh b/parallel_build.csh
index e32c2668..c8219d3b 100755
--- a/parallel_build.csh
+++ b/parallel_build.csh
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ if (-d ${ESMADIR}/@env || -d ${ESMADIR}/env@ || -d ${ESMADIR}/env) then
       echo "Checking out development branches of GEOSgcm_GridComp, GEOSgcm_App, GMAO_Shared, and GEOS_Util"
       mepo develop GEOSgcm_GridComp GEOSgcm_App GMAO_Shared GEOS_Util
    endif
+   mepo status
 else
    if ($?PBS_JOBID || $?SLURM_JOBID) then
       echo " mepo clone must be run!"
@@ -42,13 +43,13 @@ else
       echo " Please run from a head node"
       exit 1
    else
-      echo "Running mepo initialization"
-      mepo init
+      echo "Running mepo clone"
       mepo clone
       if ( "$DEVELOP" == "TRUE" ) then
          echo "Checking out development branches of GEOSgcm_GridComp, GEOSgcm_App, GMAO_Shared, and GEOS_Util"
          mepo develop GEOSgcm_GridComp GEOSgcm_App GMAO_Shared GEOS_Util
       endif
+      mepo status
    endif
 endif