diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_landuse.F b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_landuse.F
index a153d09948..1e1c5d6126 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_landuse.F
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_landuse.F
@@ -227,6 +227,8 @@ subroutine landuse_init_forMPAS(dminfo,julday,mesh,configs,diag_physics,sfc_inpu
           isurban = 1
        case('MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH')
           isurban = 13
+       case('MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH_15s')
+          isurban = 13
        case('SiB')
           isurban = 11
        case('LW12')
diff --git a/src/core_init_atmosphere/Registry.xml b/src/core_init_atmosphere/Registry.xml
index 778b64c058..807e2451b9 100644
--- a/src/core_init_atmosphere/Registry.xml
+++ b/src/core_init_atmosphere/Registry.xml
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@
                      description="The number of months in a year"
                      possible_values="Positive integer values"/>
 
+	        <nml_option name="config_nsoilcat"              type="integer"       default_value="16"
+                     units='-'
+                     description="The number of soil categories used by the LSM."
+                     possible_values="16"/>
+
         </nml_record>
 
         <nml_record name="data_sources" in_defaults="true">
@@ -166,6 +171,11 @@
                      description="The land use classification to use (case 7 only)"
                      possible_values="`USGS' or `MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH'"/>
 
+                <nml_option name="config_soilcat_data"          type="character"     default_value="STATSGO"
+                     units="-"
+		     description="The soil category classification to use"
+                     possible_values="`STATSGO' or `BNU'"/>
+
                 <nml_option name="config_topo_data"             type="character"     default_value="GMTED2010"
                      units="-"
                      description="The topography dataset to use for the model terrain and for GWDO static fields (case 7 only)"
@@ -191,9 +201,14 @@
                      description="The supersampling factor to be used for MODIS maximum snow albedo and monthly albedo datasets (case 7 only)"
                      possible_values="Positive integer values"/>
 
+	        <nml_option name="config_lu_supersample_factor" type="integer"       default_value="1"
+                     units="-"
+                     description="The supersampling factor to be used for 30s or 15s MODIS land use (case 7 only)"
+                     possible_values="Positive integer values"/>
+
                 <nml_option name="config_30s_supersample_factor"    type="integer"       default_value="1"
                      units="-"
-                     description="The supersampling factor to be used for 30s terrain, MODIS land use, soil category, and MODIS FPAR monthly vegetation fraction (case 7 only)"
+                     description="The supersampling factor to be used for 30s terrain, soil category, and MODIS FPAR monthly vegetation fraction (case 7 only)"
                      possible_values="Positive integer values"/>
 
                 <nml_option name="config_use_spechumd"          type="logical"       default_value="false"
diff --git a/src/core_init_atmosphere/mpas_init_atm_static.F b/src/core_init_atmosphere/mpas_init_atm_static.F
index 09fe4c57a1..78cb7727dd 100644
--- a/src/core_init_atmosphere/mpas_init_atm_static.F
+++ b/src/core_init_atmosphere/mpas_init_atm_static.F
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ subroutine init_atm_static(mesh, dims, configs)
  character(len=StrKIND), pointer :: config_vegfrac_data
  character(len=StrKIND), pointer :: config_albedo_data
  character(len=StrKIND), pointer :: config_maxsnowalbedo_data
+ character(len=StrKIND), pointer :: config_soilcat_data
  character(len=StrKIND+1) :: geog_data_path      ! same as config_geog_data_path, but guaranteed to have a trailing slash
  character(len=StrKIND+1) :: geog_sub_path       ! subdirectory names in config_geog_data_path, with trailing slash
 
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ subroutine init_atm_static(mesh, dims, configs)
  type(c_ptr) :: rarray_ptr
 
  integer, pointer :: supersample_fac
+ integer, pointer :: supersample_fac_lu
  integer, pointer :: supersample_fac_30s
 
  real(kind=RKIND):: lat,lon,x,y
@@ -213,11 +215,13 @@ subroutine init_atm_static(mesh, dims, configs)
 
  call mpas_pool_get_config(configs, 'config_geog_data_path', config_geog_data_path)
  call mpas_pool_get_config(configs, 'config_landuse_data', config_landuse_data)
+ call mpas_pool_get_config(configs, 'config_soilcat_data', config_soilcat_data)
  call mpas_pool_get_config(configs, 'config_topo_data', config_topo_data)
  call mpas_pool_get_config(configs, 'config_vegfrac_data', config_vegfrac_data)
  call mpas_pool_get_config(configs, 'config_albedo_data', config_albedo_data)
  call mpas_pool_get_config(configs, 'config_maxsnowalbedo_data', config_maxsnowalbedo_data)
  call mpas_pool_get_config(configs, 'config_supersample_factor', supersample_fac)
+ call mpas_pool_get_config(configs, 'config_supersample_fac_lu', supersample_fac_lu)
  call mpas_pool_get_config(configs, 'config_30s_supersample_factor', supersample_fac_30s)
 
  write(geog_data_path, '(a)') config_geog_data_path
@@ -350,11 +354,14 @@ subroutine init_atm_static(mesh, dims, configs)
        write(mminlu,'(a)') 'USGS'
     case('MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH')
        write(mminlu,'(a)') 'MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH'
+    case('MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH_15s')
+       write(mminlu,'(a)') 'MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH_15s'
     case default
          call mpas_log_write('*****************************************************************', messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
          call mpas_log_write('Invalid land use dataset '''//trim(config_landuse_data) &
                                        //''' selected for config_landuse_data',                   messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
          call mpas_log_write('   Possible options are: ''USGS'', ''MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH''',   messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
+         call mpas_log_write('   '' MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH_15s''',                              messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
          call mpas_log_write('*****************************************************************', messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
          call mpas_log_write('Please correct the namelist.', messageType=MPAS_LOG_CRIT)
  end select surface_input_select0
@@ -394,24 +401,42 @@ subroutine init_atm_static(mesh, dims, configs)
     case('MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH')
        call mpas_log_write('Using 20-class MODIS 30-arc-second land cover dataset')
        geog_sub_path = 'modis_landuse_20class_30s/'
+    case('MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH_15s')
+       call mpas_log_write('Using 20-class MODIS 15-arc-second land cover dataset')
+       geog_sub_path = 'modis_landuse_20class_15s/'
     case default
        call mpas_log_write('*****************************************************************', messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
        call mpas_log_write('Invalid land use dataset '''//trim(config_landuse_data) &
                                      //''' selected for config_landuse_data',                   messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
        call mpas_log_write('   Possible options are: ''USGS'', ''MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH''',   messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
+       call mpas_log_write('   '' MODIFIED_IGBP_MODIS_NOAH_15s''',                              messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
        call mpas_log_write('*****************************************************************', messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
        call mpas_log_write('Please correct the namelist.', messageType=MPAS_LOG_CRIT)
  end select surface_input_select1
 
  call mpas_log_write('--- start interpolate LU_INDEX')
  call interp_landuse(mesh, tree, trim(geog_data_path)//trim(geog_sub_path), isice_lu, iswater_lu, &
-                     supersample_fac=supersample_fac_30s)
+                     supersample_fac=supersample_fac_lu)
  call mpas_log_write('--- end interpolate LU_INDEX')
 
 !
 ! Interpolate SOILCAT_TOP
+ select case(trim(config_soilcat_data))
+    case('STASGO')
+       call mpas_log_write('Using STATSGO 30-arc-second soil type dataset')
+       geog_sub_path = 'soiltype_top_30s/'
+    case('BNU')
+       call mpas_log_write('Using BNU 30-arc-second soil type dataset')
+       geog_sub_path = 'bnu_soiltype_top/'
+    case default
+       call mpas_log_write('*****************************************************************',messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
+       call mpas_log_write('Invalid soil type dataset'''//trim(config_soilcat_data) &
+                                     //''' selected for config_soilcat_data',                  messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
+       call mpas_log_write('   Possible options are: ''STASGO'',''BNU''',                      messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
+       call mpas_log_write('*****************************************************************',messageType=MPAS_LOG_ERR)
+       call mpas_log_write('Please correct the namelist.', messageType=MPAS_LOG_CRIT)
+ end select            
 !
- geog_sub_path = 'soiltype_top_30s/'
 
  call mpas_log_write('--- start interpolate SOILCAT_TOP')
  call interp_soilcat(mesh, tree, trim(geog_data_path)//trim(geog_sub_path), iswater_soil, &