diff --git a/.github/actions/build-npm/action.yml b/.github/actions/build-npm/action.yml
index 32123d7836..1da1a07dce 100644
--- a/.github/actions/build-npm/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/build-npm/action.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ runs:
       shell: bash
       run: |
         touch dashboard/.env
-        echo '${{ inputs.env_vars }}' > dashboard/.env
+        echo '${{ inputs.env_vars }}' > dashboard/.env.production
     - name: Run NPM Build
       shell: bash
       run: |
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5527c6803a..63e7e1f933 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 .DS_Store
 .env
+.env.local
 docker/.env
 docker/github_app_private_key.pem
 app
diff --git a/dashboard/src/legacy/main/home/compliance-dashboard/ComplianceContext.tsx b/dashboard/src/legacy/main/home/compliance-dashboard/ComplianceContext.tsx
index 8f7918742d..454984527e 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/legacy/main/home/compliance-dashboard/ComplianceContext.tsx
+++ b/dashboard/src/legacy/main/home/compliance-dashboard/ComplianceContext.tsx
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ export const ProjectComplianceProvider: React.FC<
         return;
       }
 
-      const cidrAllowList = import.meta.env.PORTER_CIDRS
-        ? import.meta.env.PORTER_CIDRS.split(",")
+      const cidrAllowList = import.meta.env.VITE_PORTER_CIDRS
+        ? import.meta.env.VITE_PORTER_CIDRS.split(",")
         : [];
 
       const updatedKindValues = match(latestContractProto.cluster.kindValues)
diff --git a/dashboard/src/main/home/compliance-dashboard/ComplianceContext.tsx b/dashboard/src/main/home/compliance-dashboard/ComplianceContext.tsx
index 0b938be99c..4aeb9af6fc 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/main/home/compliance-dashboard/ComplianceContext.tsx
+++ b/dashboard/src/main/home/compliance-dashboard/ComplianceContext.tsx
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ export const ProjectComplianceProvider: React.FC<
         return;
       }
 
-      const cidrAllowList = import.meta.env.PORTER_CIDRS
-        ? import.meta.env.PORTER_CIDRS.split(",")
+      const cidrAllowList = import.meta.env.VITE_PORTER_CIDRS
+        ? import.meta.env.VITE_PORTER_CIDRS.split(",")
         : [];
 
       const updatedKindValues = match(latestContractProto.cluster.kindValues)
diff --git a/dashboard/src/shared/auth/ory.ts b/dashboard/src/shared/auth/ory.ts
index db128f27df..daa39afbbd 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/shared/auth/ory.ts
+++ b/dashboard/src/shared/auth/ory.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ import { Configuration, FrontendApi } from "@ory/client";
 import { type AxiosError } from "axios";
 import { useHistory } from "react-router-dom";
 
-export const basePath =
-  import.meta.env.REACT_APP_ORY_URL || "http://localhost:4000";
+export const basePath = import.meta.env.VITE_ORY_URL || "http://localhost:4000";
 
 export const ory = new FrontendApi(
   new Configuration({
diff --git a/dashboard/vite.config.ts b/dashboard/vite.config.ts
index 31f692b357..e6491118c5 100644
--- a/dashboard/vite.config.ts
+++ b/dashboard/vite.config.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ export default defineConfig(({ mode }) => ({
   build: {
     outDir: "build",
   },
+  ...(mode === "development" && {
+    envDir: "../zarf/helm",
+  }),
   server: {
     port: 8081,
     proxy: {
diff --git a/zarf/helm/.dashboardenv b/zarf/helm/.envlocal
similarity index 79%
rename from zarf/helm/.dashboardenv
rename to zarf/helm/.envlocal
index 595149ecd5..7388010944 100644
--- a/zarf/helm/.dashboardenv
+++ b/zarf/helm/.envlocal
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ API_SERVER=http://localhost:8080
 
 TRUST_ARN=arn:aws:iam::MY_AWS_DEV_ACCOUNT_ID:role/CAPIManagement
 
-# PORTER_CIDRS are a comma-separated list of CIDRs mapping to Porter infra. Used for restricting access to a customer's control plane endpoint
+# VITE_PORTER_CIDRS are a comma-separated list of CIDRs mapping to Porter infra. Used for restricting access to a customer's control plane endpoint
 # below example is for the office IP
-PORTER_CIDRS="135.84.167.61/32"
+VITE_PORTER_CIDRS="135.84.167.61/32"