diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index b80539e281f7..b49d99ee09c7 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ parameters:
 
 # Anchors to prevent forgetting to update a version
 os_version: &os_version ubuntu20
-baselibs_version: &baselibs_version v7.23.0
+baselibs_version: &baselibs_version v7.24.0
 bcs_version: &bcs_version v11.3.0
 tag_build_arg_name: &tag_build_arg_name maplversion
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ workflows:
             - docker-hub-creds
           matrix:
             parameters:
-              compiler: [gfortran,ifort]
+              compiler: [gfortran, ifort]
               cmake_generator: ['Unix Makefiles','Ninja']
           baselibs_version: *baselibs_version
           repo: MAPL
@@ -161,7 +161,6 @@ workflows:
           checkout_mapl_branch: true
           mepodevelop: false
           rebuild_procs: 1
-          extra_cmake_options: "-DBUILD_WITH_FLAP=ON"
 
   build-and-publish-docker:
     when:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/workflow.yml
index 1ac68d8fcf35..f4b1e5f07cbc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/workflow.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
     name: Build and Test MAPL GNU
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
-      image: gmao/ubuntu20-geos-env-mkl:v7.23.0-openmpi_5.0.2-gcc_13.2.0
+      image: gmao/ubuntu20-geos-env-mkl:v7.24.0-openmpi_5.0.2-gcc_13.2.0
       # Per https://github.com/actions/virtual-environments/issues/1445#issuecomment-713861495
       # It seems like we might not need secrets on GitHub Actions which is good for forked
       # pull requests
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ jobs:
     name: Build and Test MAPL Intel
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
-      image: gmao/ubuntu20-geos-env:v7.23.0-intelmpi_2021.6.0-intel_2022.1.0
+      image: gmao/ubuntu20-geos-env:v7.24.0-intelmpi_2021.6.0-intel_2022.1.0
       # Per https://github.com/actions/virtual-environments/issues/1445#issuecomment-713861495
       # It seems like we might not need secrets on GitHub Actions which is good for forked
       # pull requests
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5e844f143a4a..f58506891921 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -10,8 +10,13 @@
 CMakeUserPresets.json
 
 # Ignore possible symlinked build and install directories
-build-*
-install-*
+# Note: we can't use a / at the end because they might be
+# symlink to a directory
+build*
+install*
+
+# If you build with spack libraries, you can get spack log files
+spack*.log
 
 *.swp
 *.swo
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4a726f42c23e..bb095ae09e1a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -17,6 +17,29 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Deprecated
 
+## [2.46.0] - 2024-05-02
+
+### Added
+
+- Update `FindESMF.cmake` to match that in ESMF 8.6.1
+
+### Changed
+
+- Set required version of ESMF to 8.6.1
+- Update `components.yaml`
+  - ESMA_cmake v3.45.0
+    - `BUILT_ON_SLES15` set to `FALSE` on NCCS if not built on SLES15
+    - Update `FindESMF.cmake` to match that in ESMF 8.6.1
+    - Suppress remarks in Intel Fortran Classic 2021.12
+  - ESMA_env v4.29.0 (Baselibs 7.24.0)
+    - Update to ESMF 8.6.1b04
+    - NCO 5.2.4
+    - curl 8.7.1
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Fixed non-Baselibs build using `ESMF::ESMF` target
+
 ## [2.45.0] - 2024-04-25
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 1ae38e18a764..37c4aacd404c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ if (NOT COMMAND esma)
 
 endif ()
 
-list (APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/cmake")
+# This tells cmake to assume MAPL's cmake directory is the first place to look
+list (PREPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/cmake")
 
 option (BUILD_SHARED_MAPL "Build shared MAPL libraries" ON)
 if (BUILD_SHARED_MAPL)
@@ -148,21 +149,8 @@ if (NOT Baselibs_FOUND)
   endif()
 
   if (NOT TARGET ESMF::ESMF)
-    find_package(ESMF 8.6.0 MODULE REQUIRED)
-
-    # ESMF as used in MAPL requires MPI
-    # NOTE: This looks odd because some versions of FindESMF.cmake out in the
-    #       world provide an "esmf" target while others provide "ESMF". So we
-    #       need this ugliness to support both.
-    if (TARGET ESMF::ESMF)
-      target_link_libraries(ESMF::ESMF INTERFACE MPI::MPI_Fortran)
-    else()
-      target_link_libraries(ESMF::ESMF INTERFACE MPI::MPI_Fortran)
-      # MAPL and GEOS use lowercase target due to historical reasons but
-      # the latest FindESMF.cmake file from ESMF produces an ESMF target.
-      add_library(ESMF::ESMF ALIAS ESMF)
-      add_library(ESMF::ESMF ALIAS esmf)
-    endif()
+    find_package(ESMF 8.6.1 MODULE REQUIRED)
+    target_link_libraries(ESMF::ESMF INTERFACE MPI::MPI_Fortran)
   endif ()
 else ()
   # This is an ESMF version test when using Baselibs which doesn't use the
diff --git a/cmake/FindESMF.cmake b/cmake/FindESMF.cmake
index eabba677d3b6..4eb0f6a54e91 100644
--- a/cmake/FindESMF.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindESMF.cmake
@@ -96,22 +96,22 @@ if(EXISTS ${ESMFMKFILE})
       message(WARNING "Static ESMF library (libesmf.a) not found in \
                        ${ESMF_LIBSDIR}. Try setting USE_ESMF_STATIC_LIBS=OFF")
     endif()
-    if(NOT TARGET ESMF)
-      add_library(ESMF STATIC IMPORTED)
+    if(NOT TARGET ESMF::ESMF)
+      add_library(ESMF::ESMF STATIC IMPORTED)
     endif()
   else()
     find_library(ESMF_LIBRARY_LOCATION NAMES esmf PATHS ${ESMF_LIBSDIR} NO_DEFAULT_PATH)
     if(ESMF_LIBRARY_LOCATION MATCHES "ESMF_LIBRARY_LOCATION-NOTFOUND")
       message(WARNING "ESMF library not found in ${ESMF_LIBSDIR}.")
     endif()
-    if(NOT TARGET ESMF)
-      add_library(ESMF UNKNOWN IMPORTED)
+    if(NOT TARGET ESMF::ESMF)
+      add_library(ESMF::ESMF UNKNOWN IMPORTED)
     endif()
   endif()
 
-  # Add target alias to facilitate unambiguous linking
-  if(NOT TARGET ESMF::ESMF)
-    add_library(ESMF::ESMF ALIAS ESMF)
+  # Add ESMF as an alias to ESMF::ESMF for backward compatibility
+  if(NOT TARGET ESMF)
+    add_library(ESMF ALIAS ESMF::ESMF)
   endif()
 
   # Add ESMF include directories
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ if(EXISTS ${ESMFMKFILE})
                       ESMF_F90COMPILEPATHS
         VERSION_VAR ESMF_VERSION)
 
-  set_target_properties(ESMF PROPERTIES
+  set_target_properties(ESMF::ESMF PROPERTIES
         IMPORTED_LOCATION "${ESMF_LIBRARY_LOCATION}"
         INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${ESMF_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES}"
         INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES "${ESMF_INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES}")
diff --git a/components.yaml b/components.yaml
index 38ca0c946dc7..94c80847201b 100644
--- a/components.yaml
+++ b/components.yaml
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@ MAPL:
 ESMA_env:
   local: ./ESMA_env
   remote: ../ESMA_env.git
-  tag: v4.28.1
+  tag: v4.29.0
   develop: main
 
 ESMA_cmake:
   local: ./ESMA_cmake
   remote: ../ESMA_cmake.git
-  tag: v3.44.0
+  tag: v3.45.0
   develop: develop
 
 ecbuild: