diff --git a/bin/jaws b/bin/jaws
index ee1095e19..1ad9279c7 100755
--- a/bin/jaws
+++ b/bin/jaws
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ program
       ));
     });
 
+//TODO: generate stage
 program
     .command('generate')
     .description('Create boilerplate structure for a new lambda or api gateway (or both)')
@@ -134,10 +135,10 @@ program
       }
     });
 
-//TODO: support local env
 program
     .command('env <cmd> <stage> [key] [val]')
-    .description('Manage env vars for stage. Valid cmds: list,get,set,unset. Ex: get USERNAME test or set USERNAME=blah test')
+    .description('Manage env vars for stage. Valid cmds: list,get,set,unset.' +
+    '\nEx: get test USERNAME or set test USERNAME blah.')
     .action(function(cmd, stage, key, val) {
       cmd = cmd.toLowerCase();
       switch (cmd) {
diff --git a/lib/commands/env.js b/lib/commands/env.js
index a0f89f333..db2c0aeb3 100644
--- a/lib/commands/env.js
+++ b/lib/commands/env.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 var JawsError = require('../jaws-error'),
     Promise = require('bluebird'),
     utils = require('../utils'),
+    fs = require('fs'),
     AWSUtils = require('../utils/aws'),
     path = require('path'),
     chalk = require('chalk'),
@@ -15,19 +16,31 @@ var JawsError = require('../jaws-error'),
 
 module.exports = function(JAWS) {
   JAWS.getEnvFileAsMap = function(awsProfile, awsRegion, bucketName, projectName, stage) {
-    return AWSUtils.getEnvFile(
-        awsProfile,
-        awsRegion,
-        bucketName,
-        projectName,
-        stage
-    )
-        .then(function(s3ObjData) {
-          if (!s3ObjData.Body) {
-            return {};
-          }
+    var _this = this,
+        deferred;
 
-          return dotenv.parse(s3ObjData.Body);
+    if (stage == 'local') {
+      deferred = Promise.resolve(fs.readFileSync(path.join(_this._meta.projectRootPath, 'back', '.env')));
+    } else {
+      deferred = AWSUtils.getEnvFile(
+          awsProfile,
+          awsRegion,
+          bucketName,
+          projectName,
+          stage
+      )
+          .then(function(s3ObjData) {
+            if (!s3ObjData.Body) {
+              return '';
+            }
+
+            return s3ObjData.Body;
+          });
+    }
+
+    return deferred
+        .then(function(envFileBuffer) {
+          return dotenv.parse(envFileBuffer);
         })
         .catch(function(err) {
           return {};
@@ -56,7 +69,7 @@ module.exports = function(JAWS) {
           projectBucketName,
           projectName,
           stage
-      )])
+      ),])
         .spread(function(jawsJsonPaths, envMap) {
           var envInBackMap = {};
 
@@ -155,18 +168,22 @@ module.exports = function(JAWS) {
             delete envMap[key];
           }
 
-          var contents = "";
+          var contents = '';
           Object.keys(envMap).forEach(function(newKey) {
             contents += [newKey, envMap[newKey]].join('=') + '\n';
           });
 
-          return AWSUtils.putEnvFile(
-              awsProfile,
-              projectBucketRegion,
-              projectBucketName,
-              projectName,
-              stage,
-              contents);
+          if (stage == 'local') {
+            return utils.writeFile(path.join(_this._meta.projectRootPath, 'back', '.env'), contents);
+          } else {
+            return AWSUtils.putEnvFile(
+                awsProfile,
+                projectBucketRegion,
+                projectBucketName,
+                projectName,
+                stage,
+                contents);
+          }
         });
   };
 };
diff --git a/lib/commands/new.js b/lib/commands/new.js
index 2267bbb42..14764e943 100644
--- a/lib/commands/new.js
+++ b/lib/commands/new.js
@@ -169,7 +169,12 @@ function _getAnswers(projName, stage, s3Bucket, lambdaRegion, notificationEmail,
  * @private
  */
 function _prepareProjectData(answers) {
-  // Set project name
+  if (answers.stage.toLowerCase() == 'local') {
+    Promise.reject(new JawsError(
+        'Stage ' + answers.stage + ' is reserved',
+        JawsError.errorCodes.UNKNOWN));
+  }
+
   project.name = answers.name.toLowerCase().trim()
       .replace(/[^a-zA-Z-\d\s:]/g, '')
       .replace(/\s/g, '-')
@@ -178,7 +183,7 @@ function _prepareProjectData(answers) {
   // AWS only allows Alphanumeric and - in name
   var nameOk = /^([a-zA-Z0-9-]+)$/.exec(project.name);
   if (!nameOk) {
-    reject(new JawsError(
+    Promise.reject(new JawsError(
         'Project names can only be alphanumeric and -',
         JawsError.errorCodes.INVALID_PROJ_NAME));
   }
@@ -401,7 +406,6 @@ module.exports = function(JAWS) {
    * @returns {*}
    */
   JAWS.new = function(projName, stage, s3Bucket, lambdaRegion, notificationEmail, awsProfile) {
-
     return _getAnswers(projName, stage, s3Bucket, lambdaRegion, notificationEmail, awsProfile)
         .then(_prepareProjectData)
         .then(_createS3JawsStructure) //see if bucket is avail first before doing work