diff --git a/tools/mksurfdata_esmf/src/mkglcmecMod.F90 b/tools/mksurfdata_esmf/src/mkglcmecMod.F90
index 4bc3d83e06..6dc363ecac 100644
--- a/tools/mksurfdata_esmf/src/mkglcmecMod.F90
+++ b/tools/mksurfdata_esmf/src/mkglcmecMod.F90
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ subroutine mkglcmecInit( pioid_o )
     ! local variables:
     type(var_desc_t)      :: pio_varid
     type(io_desc_t)       :: pio_iodesc
-    real(r8), allocatable :: elevclass_o(:)          ! elevation classes
     integer               :: rcode
     character(len=*), parameter :: subname = 'mkglcmecInit'
     !-----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -100,9 +99,6 @@ subroutine mkglcmecInit( pioid_o )
        call shr_sys_abort()
     end if
 
-    allocate(elevclass_o(size(elevclass)))
-    elevclass_o(:) = elevclass(:)
-
     if (root_task)  write(ndiag, '(a)') trim(subname)//" writing out GLC_MEC"
     rcode = pio_inq_varid(pioid_o, 'GLC_MEC', pio_varid)
     rcode = pio_put_var(pioid_o, pio_varid, elevclass)