diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 5dd1c722f..7b0725b76 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -69,10 +69,6 @@ jobs:
           git stash
           yarn lerna-version-fallback
 
-      - name: "NPM Identity"
-        run: |
-          echo "//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=$CZI_SDS_NPM_TOKEN" > .npmrc
-
       - name: Commit changes
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.npmrc b/.npmrc
deleted file mode 100644
index 73ed4c3c5..000000000
--- a/.npmrc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=
diff --git a/lerna.json b/lerna.json
index 63fd6cf25..75aa7ef34 100644
--- a/lerna.json
+++ b/lerna.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "useNx": true,
   "useWorkspaces": true,
   "version": "independent",
-  "npmClient": "yarn",
+  "npmClient": "npm",
   "stream": true,
   "packages": ["packages/*"],
   "command": {