diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 79e84892..ce52aea5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@
 !/log/.keep
 /tmp
 
-# Ignore application configuration
-/config/vars.yml
-
 # Ignore old migrations
 /db/old/*
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2e6e0684..ddd5ba9e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ Below are barebones steps for getting started in development for the SDR.
   - `vagrant up`
   - `vagrant ssh`
   - `cd /vagrant/sdr`
-  - `cp config/vars.yml.example config/vars.yml`
   - `bundle exec rake db:schema:load`
   - `bundle exec rake sdr:server`
 2. View to test environment Solr admin panel: http://localhost:8983/
@@ -48,7 +47,6 @@ Below are barebones steps for getting started in development for the SDR.
 
 1. Run the commands below in order specified:
   - `git clone https://github.com/NYULibraries/spatial_data_repository.git && cd- spatial_data_repository`
-  - `cp config/vars.yml.example config/vars.yml`
   - `bundle install`
   - `bundle exec rake db:schema:load`
   - `bundle exec rake sdr:server`
diff --git a/config/vars.yml.example b/config/vars.yml.example
deleted file mode 100644
index c275fcbe..00000000
--- a/config/vars.yml.example
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-development:
-  SECRET_KEY_BASE: 6c51f19b57fdebd3dfd2a3cf8b69fab7f41a529b6bfbf8bff4a85815934066cbe22ddf7fa6083f227288c04e4eeb6c28f0fd90e31fc02314aaceb135dacecc07
-
-  DEVISE_SECRET_TOKEN: 2c847492b6d434c808e63a93ff16a7a897aa4c09943edaaf7aa498a29649048113cf55731282e39a82ae7ce3fb9f1087586d474fc483ad6f63806986a5a02a6c
-
-  SOLR_URL: http://127.0.0.1:8983/solr/sdr-core-development
-  SOLR_VERSION: 7.5.0
-
-test:
-  SECRET_KEY_BASE: 6c51f19b57fdebd3dfd2a3cf8b69fab7f41a529b6bfbf8bff4a85815934066cbe22ddf7fa6083f227288c04e4eeb6c28f0fd90e31fc02314aaceb135dacecc07
-
-  DEVISE_SECRET_TOKEN: bfbd360e6b465662c331578b3598323559980c73fde2dea24a8253089a5efa8f27775e9ba60838128e9f3feaec643c67397d8bd5f7c6f67a4b06114b32cc617c
-
-  SOLR_URL: http://127.0.0.1:8985/solr/sdr-core-test
-  SOLR_VERSION: 7.5.0