diff --git a/.astro/settings.json b/.astro/settings.json
index 8f5d41e..9b63469 100644
--- a/.astro/settings.json
+++ b/.astro/settings.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
 	"_variables": {
-		"lastUpdateCheck": 1753528124767
+		"lastUpdateCheck": 1754571688630
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 82074eb..1814d9f 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -178,16 +178,16 @@ GIT_API_TOKEN=your-git-api-token
 # ============================================================================
 
 # Enable detailed audit trail of AI decision-making
-PUBLIC_FORENSIC_AUDIT_ENABLED=true
+FORENSIC_AUDIT_ENABLED=true
 
 # Audit detail level: minimal, standard, verbose
-PUBLIC_FORENSIC_AUDIT_DETAIL_LEVEL=standard
+FORENSIC_AUDIT_DETAIL_LEVEL=standard
 
 # Audit retention time (hours)
-PUBLIC_FORENSIC_AUDIT_RETENTION_HOURS=24
+FORENSIC_AUDIT_RETENTION_HOURS=24
 
 # Maximum audit entries per request
-PUBLIC_FORENSIC_AUDIT_MAX_ENTRIES=50
+FORENSIC_AUDIT_MAX_ENTRIES=50
 
 # ============================================================================
 # 10. SIMPLIFIED CONFIDENCE SCORING SYSTEM  
diff --git a/src/utils/aiPipeline.ts b/src/utils/aiPipeline.ts
index f466ec6..a15408e 100644
--- a/src/utils/aiPipeline.ts
+++ b/src/utils/aiPipeline.ts
@@ -157,8 +157,20 @@ class ImprovedMicroTaskAIPipeline {
       weights: `Semantic:${this.confidenceConfig.semanticWeight} Suitability:${this.confidenceConfig.suitabilityWeight}`,
       thresholds: `${this.confidenceConfig.minimumThreshold}/${this.confidenceConfig.mediumThreshold}/${this.confidenceConfig.highThreshold}`
     });
+
+    console.log('[AI PIPELINE] Environment variable debug:', {
+      FORENSIC_AUDIT_ENABLED: process.env.FORENSIC_AUDIT_ENABLED,
+      FORENSIC_AUDIT_DETAIL_LEVEL: process.env.FORENSIC_AUDIT_DETAIL_LEVEL,
+      NODE_ENV: process.env.NODE_ENV,
+      allEnvKeys: Object.keys(process.env).filter(k => k.includes('AUDIT')),
+      dotenvLoaded: !!process.env.PUBLIC_BASE_URL // Proxy for "dotenv worked"
+    });
+
+    console.log('[AI PIPELINE] Final audit config:', this.auditConfig);
   }
 
+
+
   private getEnv(key: string): string {
     const value = process.env[key];
     if (!value) {
diff --git a/src/utils/auditService.ts b/src/utils/auditService.ts
index 9af7ce3..138a3d0 100644
--- a/src/utils/auditService.ts
+++ b/src/utils/auditService.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // src/utils/auditService.ts 
-
+import 'dotenv/config';
 
 function env(key: string, fallback: string | undefined = undefined): string | undefined {
   if (typeof process !== 'undefined' && process.env?.[key] !== undefined) {
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ interface AuditConfig {
   enabled: boolean;
   detailLevel: 'minimal' | 'standard' | 'verbose';
   retentionHours: number;
-  maxEntriesPerRequest: number;
+  maxEntries: number;
 }
 
 interface CompressedAuditEntry {
@@ -90,31 +90,50 @@ class AuditService {
     this.config = this.loadConfig();
   }
 
-    private loadConfig(): AuditConfig {
-        const enabledFlag =
-            (typeof import.meta !== 'undefined' &&
-            (import.meta as any).env?.PUBLIC_FORENSIC_AUDIT_ENABLED) ?? 'false';
+  private loadConfig(): AuditConfig {
+    // Use the env() helper function that handles both server and client contexts
+    const enabledFlag = env('FORENSIC_AUDIT_ENABLED', 'false');
+    const detailLevel = env('FORENSIC_AUDIT_DETAIL_LEVEL', 'standard') as 'minimal' | 'standard' | 'verbose';
+    const retentionHours = parseInt(env('FORENSIC_AUDIT_RETENTION_HOURS', '72') || '72', 10);
+    const maxEntries = parseInt(env('FORENSIC_AUDIT_MAX_ENTRIES', '50') || '50', 10);
 
-        return {
-            enabled: enabledFlag === 'true',
-            detailLevel:
-            ((import.meta as any).env?.PUBLIC_FORENSIC_AUDIT_DETAIL_LEVEL as any) ||
-            'standard',
-            retentionHours: parseInt(
-            (import.meta as any).env?.PUBLIC_FORENSIC_AUDIT_RETENTION_HOURS || '72',
-            10
-            ),
-            maxEntriesPerRequest: parseInt(
-            (import.meta as any).env?.PUBLIC_FORENSIC_AUDIT_MAX_ENTRIES || '50',
-            10
-            ),
-        };
-    }
+    console.log('[AUDIT SERVICE] Configuration loaded:', {
+      enabled: enabledFlag === 'true',
+      detailLevel,
+      retentionHours,
+      maxEntries,
+      context: typeof process !== 'undefined' ? 'server' : 'client'
+    });
 
+    return {
+      enabled: enabledFlag === 'true',
+      detailLevel,
+      retentionHours,
+      maxEntries
+    };
+  }
+
+  getDebugInfo(): {
+    config: AuditConfig;
+    environment: Record<string, any>;
+    context: string;
+  } {
+    const context = typeof process !== 'undefined' ? 'server' : 'client';
+    
+    return {
+      config: this.config,
+      environment: {
+        FORENSIC_AUDIT_ENABLED: env('FORENSIC_AUDIT_ENABLED'),
+        FORENSIC_AUDIT_DETAIL_LEVEL: env('FORENSIC_AUDIT_DETAIL_LEVEL'),
+        FORENSIC_AUDIT_RETENTION_HOURS: env('FORENSIC_AUDIT_RETENTION_HOURS'),
+        FORENSIC_AUDIT_MAX_ENTRIES: env('FORENSIC_AUDIT_MAX_ENTRIES'),
+        processEnvKeys: typeof process !== 'undefined' ? Object.keys(process.env).filter(k => k.includes('AUDIT')) : [],
+        importMetaEnvAvailable: typeof import.meta !== 'undefined' && !!(import.meta as any).env
+      },
+      context
+    };
+  }
 
-  /**
-   * Add an audit entry with automatic data compression
-   */
   addEntry(
     phase: string,
     action: string,
@@ -226,9 +245,6 @@ class AuditService {
     }
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Compress audit entry for efficient transport
-   */
   private compressEntry(entry: AuditEntry): CompressedAuditEntry | null {
     if (!entry || typeof entry !== 'object') {
         console.warn('[AUDIT] Invalid audit entry:', entry);
@@ -286,9 +302,6 @@ class AuditService {
     return String(data);
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Standard level data compression
-   */
   private summarizeForStorage(data: any): any {
     if (typeof data === 'string' && data.length > 500) {
       return data.slice(0, 500) + '...[truncated]';
@@ -299,9 +312,6 @@ class AuditService {
     return data;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Minimal level data compression
-   */
   private minimalSummary(data: any): any {
     if (typeof data === 'string' && data.length > 100) {
       return data.slice(0, 100) + '...[truncated]';
@@ -387,4 +397,18 @@ class AuditService {
 }
 
 export const auditService = new AuditService();
-export type { ProcessedAuditTrail, CompressedAuditEntry };
\ No newline at end of file
+export type { ProcessedAuditTrail, CompressedAuditEntry };
+// Add this at the bottom of auditService.ts (after the existing exports)
+
+// Export debug utilities for troubleshooting
+export const debugAuditService = {
+  getDebugInfo() {
+    return auditService.getDebugInfo();
+  },
+  isEnabled() {
+    return auditService.isEnabled();
+  },
+  getConfig() {
+    return auditService.getConfig();
+  }
+};
\ No newline at end of file