diff --git a/docs/workflow/initialization.rst b/docs/workflow/initialization.rst
index d2483c6f2b0..d2ba7dbe255 100644
--- a/docs/workflow/initialization.rst
+++ b/docs/workflow/initialization.rst
@@ -262,18 +262,6 @@ If a particular code (let's say inspiral) wants to use an option supplied in the
   [inspiral-v1]
   channel-name = ${workflow|v1-channel}
 
-We also have access to anything specified in the environment when the workflow
-is generated. Environment variables can be accessed in the configuration file
-like::
-
-  [inspiral-h1]
-  channel-name = ${os_env_vals|H1_CHANNEL_NAME}
- 
-which would take the value from `${H1_CHANNEL_NAME}` in the environment. These
-variables will also be written out in the config file produced when generating
-a workflow, so that you can see what environment was set when the workflow was
-generated.
-
 Similar macros can be added as needed, but these should be limited to avoid namespace confusion. 
 
 ------------------------------------
@@ -282,6 +270,26 @@ Example complete workflow .ini file
 
 Please see individual workflow documentation pages for some examples of complete .ini files and example workflows.
 
+===========================
+Other special sections
+===========================
+
+------------------------------
+[environment] section
+------------------------------
+
+We have access to environment variables present when generating the workflow (with the exception of any variable containing a `$` or a `%` as these are special characters). These are automatically accessed and stored in the `[environment]` section of the config file when creating a PyCBC ConfigParser object.
+
+Values in this section can be accessed in the configuration file like this::
+
+  [inspiral-h1]
+  channel-name = ${environment|H1_CHANNEL_NAME}
+
+which would take the value from `${H1_CHANNEL_NAME}` in the environment.
+
+These values will also be written out for later reference in the config file produced when generating a workflow.
+
+
 ========================
 [sharedoptions] section
 ========================
diff --git a/pycbc/types/config.py b/pycbc/types/config.py
index ce584e75d79..89d579c65de 100644
--- a/pycbc/types/config.py
+++ b/pycbc/types/config.py
@@ -103,8 +103,9 @@ def __init__(
         self.optionxform = str
 
         # Add in environment
-        # We allow access to environment variables by adding them into the
-        # os_env_vals section of the config file.
+        # We allow access to environment variables by loading them into a
+        # special configparser section ([environment]) which can then
+        # be referenced by other sections.
         # We cannot include environment variables containing characters
         # that are special to ConfigParser. So any variable containing a % or a
         # $ is ignored.
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ def __init__(
             key: value for key, value in os.environ.items()
             if '%' not in value and '$' not in value
         }
-        self.read_dict({'os_env_vals': env_vals})
+        self.read_dict({'environment': env_vals})
 
         self.read_ini_file(configFiles)