diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 06e8ba4a0..9d5c1fd1f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ docs/reference/apidoc/_autosummary
 
 
 # project
-configs.py
 buildingmotif-app/node_modules/
 **/BuildingMOTIF.log
 *.db
diff --git a/buildingmotif/api/Dockerfile b/buildingmotif/api/Dockerfile
index 4b32bba5e..00a7e4364 100644
--- a/buildingmotif/api/Dockerfile
+++ b/buildingmotif/api/Dockerfile
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ FROM python:3.8
 # Copy project
 ADD buildingmotif /opt/buildingmotif
 ADD libraries /opt/libraries
-COPY configs.py /opt/
 ADD migrations /opt/migrations
 COPY alembic.ini /opt/
 COPY pyproject.toml /opt/
diff --git a/buildingmotif/api/app.py b/buildingmotif/api/app.py
index 3ae580343..00659a0d2 100644
--- a/buildingmotif/api/app.py
+++ b/buildingmotif/api/app.py
@@ -70,10 +70,7 @@ def create_app(DB_URI):
     """Run API."""
     db_uri = os.getenv("DB_URI")
     if db_uri is None:
-        # If config doesn't exist, this is considered a third party import and module cant be found.
-        import configs as building_motif_configs  # type: ignore # isort:skip
-
-        db_uri = building_motif_configs.DB_URI
+        raise ValueError("Environment variable DB_URI not set.")
 
     app = create_app(db_uri)
     app.run(debug=True, host="0.0.0.0", threaded=False)
diff --git a/buildingmotif/bin/cli.py b/buildingmotif/bin/cli.py
index 642c64527..ef8d093df 100644
--- a/buildingmotif/bin/cli.py
+++ b/buildingmotif/bin/cli.py
@@ -47,16 +47,6 @@ def get_db_uri(args) -> str:
     if db_uri is not None:
         return db_uri
     db_uri = getenv("DB_URI")
-    if db_uri is not None:
-        return db_uri
-    try:
-        import configs as building_motif_configs
-    except ImportError:
-        print("No DB URI could be found")
-        print("No configs.py file found")
-        subcommands[args.func].print_help()
-        sys.exit(1)
-    db_uri = building_motif_configs.DB_URI
     if db_uri is not None:
         return db_uri
     print("No DB URI could be found")
@@ -97,7 +87,7 @@ def load(args):
     Loads libraries from (1) local directories (--dir),
     (2) local or remote ontology files (--ont)
     (3) library spec file (--libraries): the provided YML file into the
-      BuildingMOTIF instance at $DB_URI or whatever is in 'configs.py'.
+      BuildingMOTIF instance at $DB_URI.
       Use 'get_default_libraries_yml' for the format of the expected libraries.yml file
     """
     db_uri = get_db_uri(args)
diff --git a/configs.py.dist b/configs.py.dist
deleted file mode 100644
index f7cfd8877..000000000
--- a/configs.py.dist
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-DB_URI = ""
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/reference/cli_tool.md b/docs/reference/cli_tool.md
index 423055411..b56f87cd5 100644
--- a/docs/reference/cli_tool.md
+++ b/docs/reference/cli_tool.md
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ Recall that a `Library` is a unit of distribution for shapes (for validation of
 ```bash
 usage: buildingmotif load [-h] [-d DB] [--dir DIR [DIR ...]] [-o ONT [ONT ...]] [-l LIBRARY_MANIFEST_FILE [LIBRARY_MANIFEST_FILE ...]]
 
-Loads libraries from (1) local directories (--dir), (2) local or remote ontology files (--ont) (3) library spec file (--libraries): the provided YML file into the BuildingMOTIF instance at $DB_URI or whatever
-is in 'configs.py'. Use 'get_default_libraries_yml' for the format of the expected libraries.yml file
+Loads libraries from (1) local directories (--dir), (2) local or remote ontology files (--ont), or (3) library spec file (--libraries): the provided YML file into the BuildingMOTIF instance at $DB_URI
 
 optional arguments:
   -h, --help            show this help message and exit
diff --git a/docs/reference/developer_documentation.md b/docs/reference/developer_documentation.md
index b8d9a0b06..440266182 100644
--- a/docs/reference/developer_documentation.md
+++ b/docs/reference/developer_documentation.md
@@ -21,12 +21,10 @@
 
 ## Developing
 
-To initialize your database, create your local configs file, enter your db uri, and run the migrations.
+### Database
+Initialize a database by setting it in the `.env` file, then run the migrations. Note for Windows users, the following commands require a Unix shell, e.g. Bash.
 ```
-cp configs.py.dist configs.py
-
-echo "DB_URI = 'sqlite:////path/to/db.db'" > configs.py
-
+set -o allexport; source .env; set +o allexport
 poetry run alembic upgrade head
 ```
 
diff --git a/migrations/env.py b/migrations/env.py
index bed498fc7..937c65e51 100644
--- a/migrations/env.py
+++ b/migrations/env.py
@@ -10,19 +10,15 @@
     _custom_json_serializer,
 )
 
-# If config doesn't exist, this is considered a third party import and module cant be found.
-import configs as building_motif_configs  # type: ignore # isort:skip
-
 # this is the Alembic Config object, which provides
 # access to the values within the .ini file in use.
 config = context.config
 
-# custom url from configs. Prioritize OS environment variable
+# custom url from environment variable
 db_uri = os.getenv("DB_URI")
-if db_uri is not None:
-    config.set_main_option("sqlalchemy.url", db_uri)
-else:
-    config.set_main_option("sqlalchemy.url", building_motif_configs.DB_URI)
+if db_uri is None:
+    raise ValueError("envvar DB_URI not set.")
+config.set_main_option("sqlalchemy.url", db_uri)
 
 # Interpret the config file for Python logging.
 # This line sets up loggers basically.