diff --git a/src/comp/middle/alias.rs b/src/comp/middle/alias.rs
index 5c5ce3f674c..a4ef21afe37 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/alias.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/alias.rs
@@ -141,18 +141,14 @@ fn visit_expr(cx: @ctx, ex: @ast::expr, sc: scope, v: vt<scope>) {
 }
 
 fn visit_block(cx: @ctx, b: ast::blk, sc: scope, v: vt<scope>) {
-    let bs = sc.bs, sc = sc;
+    let sc = sc;
     for stmt in b.node.stmts {
         alt stmt.node {
           ast::stmt_decl(@{node: ast::decl_item(it), _}, _) {
             v.visit_item(it, sc, v);
           }
           ast::stmt_decl(@{node: ast::decl_local(locs), _}, _) {
-            for (st, loc) in locs {
-                if st == ast::let_ref {
-                    add_bindings_for_let(*cx, bs, loc);
-                    sc = {bs: bs with sc};
-                }
+            for loc in locs {
                 alt loc.node.init {
                   some(init) {
                     if init.op == ast::init_move {
@@ -547,7 +543,7 @@ fn ty_can_unsafely_include(cx: ctx, needle: unsafe_ty, haystack: ty::t,
 
 fn def_is_local(d: ast::def) -> bool {
     alt d {
-      ast::def_local(_, _) | ast::def_arg(_, _) | ast::def_binding(_) |
+      ast::def_local(_) | ast::def_arg(_, _) | ast::def_binding(_) |
       ast::def_upvar(_, _, _) | ast::def_self(_) { true }
       _ { false }
     }
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/kind.rs b/src/comp/middle/kind.rs
index 2a88fedc84b..54bff606939 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/kind.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/kind.rs
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ fn check_expr(e: @expr, cx: ctx, v: visit::vt<ctx>) {
 fn check_stmt(stmt: @stmt, cx: ctx, v: visit::vt<ctx>) {
     alt stmt.node {
       stmt_decl(@{node: decl_local(locals), _}, _) {
-        for (_, local) in locals {
+        for local in locals {
             alt local.node.init {
               some({op: init_assign, expr}) { maybe_copy(cx, expr); }
               _ {}
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/last_use.rs b/src/comp/middle/last_use.rs
index db6b55afb18..f3b2e83a211 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/last_use.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/last_use.rs
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ fn clear_in_current(cx: ctx, my_def: node_id, to: bool) {
 fn clear_def_if_path(cx: ctx, d: def, to: bool)
     -> option<node_id> {
     alt d {
-      def_local(def_id, let_copy) {
+      def_local(def_id) {
         clear_in_current(cx, def_id.node, to);
         some(def_id.node)
       }
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/mut.rs b/src/comp/middle/mut.rs
index d23b97ae885..cf3388c7f40 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/mut.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/mut.rs
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ fn visit_decl(cx: @ctx, d: @decl, &&e: (), v: visit::vt<()>) {
     visit::visit_decl(d, e, v);
     alt d.node {
       decl_local(locs) {
-        for (_, loc) in locs {
+        for loc in locs {
             alt loc.node.init {
               some(init) {
                 if init.op == init_move { check_move_rhs(cx, init.expr); }
@@ -282,7 +282,6 @@ fn is_immutable_def(cx: @ctx, def: def) -> option<str> {
         };
       }
       def_binding(_) { some("binding") }
-      def_local(_, let_ref) { some("by-reference binding") }
       _ { none }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/resolve.rs b/src/comp/middle/resolve.rs
index 1d47fb0857a..1d614cf35ed 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/resolve.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/resolve.rs
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ fn visit_decl_with_scope(d: @decl, sc: scopes, v: vt<scopes>) {
     };
     alt d.node {
       decl_local(locs) {
-        for (_, loc) in locs { v.visit_local(loc, sc, v);; *loc_pos += 1u; }
+        for loc in locs { v.visit_local(loc, sc, v);; *loc_pos += 1u; }
       }
       decl_item(it) { v.visit_item(it, sc, v); }
     }
@@ -882,7 +882,7 @@ fn scope_closes(sc: scope) -> option<node_id> {
 
 fn def_is_local(d: def) -> bool {
     alt d {
-      ast::def_arg(_, _) | ast::def_local(_, _) | ast::def_binding(_) |
+      ast::def_arg(_, _) | ast::def_local(_) | ast::def_binding(_) |
       ast::def_upvar(_, _, _) { true }
       _ { false }
     }
@@ -1114,12 +1114,12 @@ fn lookup_in_block(e: env, name: ident, sp: span, b: ast::blk_, pos: uint,
                     let j = vec::len(locs);
                     while j > 0u {
                         j -= 1u;
-                        let (style, loc) = locs[j];
+                        let loc = locs[j];
                         if ns == ns_val(ns_any_value)
                                      && (i < pos || j < loc_pos) {
                             alt lookup_in_pat(e, name, loc.node.pat) {
                               some(did) {
-                                ret some(ast::def_local(did, style));
+                                ret some(ast::def_local(did));
                               }
                               _ { }
                             }
@@ -1549,7 +1549,7 @@ fn ns_for_def(d: def) -> namespace {
     alt d {
       ast::def_variant(_, _) { ns_val(ns_a_enum) }
       ast::def_fn(_, _) | ast::def_self(_) |
-      ast::def_const(_) | ast::def_arg(_, _) | ast::def_local(_, _) |
+      ast::def_const(_) | ast::def_arg(_, _) | ast::def_local(_) |
       ast::def_upvar(_, _, _) |  ast::def_self(_) |
       ast::def_class_field(_,_) | ast::def_class_method(_,_)
           { ns_val(ns_any_value) }
@@ -1713,7 +1713,7 @@ fn check_block(e: @env, b: ast::blk, &&x: (), v: vt<()>) {
             alt d.node {
               ast::decl_local(locs) {
                 let local_values = checker(*e, "value");
-                for (_, loc) in locs {
+                for loc in locs {
                      pat_util::pat_bindings
                         (normalize_pat_def_map(e.def_map, loc.node.pat))
                             {|_i, p_sp, n|
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/trans/base.rs b/src/comp/middle/trans/base.rs
index eba29d3beb4..b4ee740b56e 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/trans/base.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/trans/base.rs
@@ -2395,7 +2395,7 @@ fn trans_local_var(cx: @block_ctxt, def: ast::def) -> local_var_result {
         assert (cx.fcx.llargs.contains_key(did.node));
         ret take_local(cx.fcx.llargs, did.node);
       }
-      ast::def_local(did, _) | ast::def_binding(did) {
+      ast::def_local(did) | ast::def_binding(did) {
         assert (cx.fcx.lllocals.contains_key(did.node));
         ret take_local(cx.fcx.lllocals, did.node);
       }
@@ -3737,18 +3737,6 @@ fn init_local(bcx: @block_ctxt, local: @ast::local) -> @block_ctxt {
     ret alt::bind_irrefutable_pat(bcx, local.node.pat, llptr, false);
 }
 
-fn init_ref_local(bcx: @block_ctxt, local: @ast::local) -> @block_ctxt {
-    let init_expr = option::get(local.node.init).expr;
-    let {bcx, val, kind} = trans_lval(bcx, init_expr);
-    alt kind {
-      owned_imm { val = do_spill_noroot(bcx, val); }
-      owned {}
-      _ { bcx_tcx(bcx).sess.span_bug(local.span,
-           "Someone forgot to document an invariant in init_ref_local!"); }
-    }
-    ret alt::bind_irrefutable_pat(bcx, local.node.pat, val, false);
-}
-
 fn zero_alloca(cx: @block_ctxt, llptr: ValueRef, t: ty::t)
     -> @block_ctxt {
     let bcx = cx;
@@ -3790,12 +3778,8 @@ fn trans_stmt(cx: @block_ctxt, s: ast::stmt) -> @block_ctxt {
       ast::stmt_decl(d, _) {
         alt d.node {
           ast::decl_local(locals) {
-            for (style, local) in locals {
-                if style == ast::let_copy {
-                    bcx = init_local(bcx, local);
-                } else {
-                    bcx = init_ref_local(bcx, local);
-                }
+            for local in locals {
+                bcx = init_local(bcx, local);
                 if bcx_ccx(cx).sess.opts.extra_debuginfo {
                     debuginfo::create_local_var(bcx, local);
                 }
@@ -3924,9 +3908,7 @@ fn block_locals(b: ast::blk, it: fn(@ast::local)) {
           ast::stmt_decl(d, _) {
             alt d.node {
               ast::decl_local(locals) {
-                for (style, local) in locals {
-                    if style == ast::let_copy { it(local); }
-                }
+                for local in locals { it(local); }
               }
               _ {/* fall through */ }
             }
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/tstate/auxiliary.rs b/src/comp/middle/tstate/auxiliary.rs
index ebd52cc6a5c..e6884d129fb 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/tstate/auxiliary.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/tstate/auxiliary.rs
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ fn expr_to_constr_arg(tcx: ty::ctxt, e: @expr) -> @constr_arg_use {
     alt e.node {
       expr_path(p) {
         alt tcx.def_map.find(e.id) {
-          some(def_local(id, _)) | some(def_arg(id, _)) |
+          some(def_local(id)) | some(def_arg(id, _)) |
           some(def_binding(id)) | some(def_upvar(id, _, _)) {
             ret @respan(p.span,
                         carg_ident({ident: p.node.idents[0], node: id.node}));
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ enum if_ty { if_check, plain_if, }
 fn local_node_id_to_def_id_strict(fcx: fn_ctxt, sp: span, i: node_id) ->
    def_id {
     alt local_node_id_to_def(fcx, i) {
-      some(def_local(id, _)) | some(def_arg(id, _)) |
+      some(def_local(id)) | some(def_arg(id, _)) |
       some(def_upvar(id, _, _)) {
         ret id;
       }
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@ fn local_node_id_to_def(fcx: fn_ctxt, i: node_id) -> option<def> {
 
 fn local_node_id_to_def_id(fcx: fn_ctxt, i: node_id) -> option<def_id> {
     alt local_node_id_to_def(fcx, i) {
-      some(def_local(id, _)) | some(def_arg(id, _)) | some(def_binding(id)) |
+      some(def_local(id)) | some(def_arg(id, _)) | some(def_binding(id)) |
       some(def_upvar(id, _, _)) {
         some(id)
       }
@@ -1062,10 +1062,9 @@ fn local_to_bindings(tcx: ty::ctxt, loc: @local) -> binding {
     {lhs: lhs, rhs: loc.node.init}
 }
 
-fn locals_to_bindings(tcx: ty::ctxt,
-                      locals: [(let_style, @local)]) -> [binding] {
+fn locals_to_bindings(tcx: ty::ctxt, locals: [@local]) -> [binding] {
     let rslt = [];
-    for (_, loc) in locals { rslt += [local_to_bindings(tcx, loc)]; }
+    for loc in locals { rslt += [local_to_bindings(tcx, loc)]; }
     ret rslt;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/tstate/bitvectors.rs b/src/comp/middle/tstate/bitvectors.rs
index 187afb9dd17..1fa390ca18b 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/tstate/bitvectors.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/tstate/bitvectors.rs
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ fn clear_in_poststate_expr(fcx: fn_ctxt, e: @expr, t: poststate) {
         alt vec::last(p.node.idents) {
           some(i) {
             alt local_node_id_to_def(fcx, e.id) {
-              some(def_local(d_id, _)) {
+              some(def_local(d_id)) {
                 clear_in_poststate_(bit_num(fcx, ninit(d_id.node, i)), t);
               }
               some(_) {/* ignore args (for now...) */ }
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/tstate/pre_post_conditions.rs b/src/comp/middle/tstate/pre_post_conditions.rs
index a23124cd840..66781428122 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/tstate/pre_post_conditions.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/tstate/pre_post_conditions.rs
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ fn gen_if_local(fcx: fn_ctxt, lhs: @expr, rhs: @expr, larger_id: node_id,
     alt node_id_to_def(fcx.ccx, new_var) {
       some(d) {
         alt d {
-          def_local(d_id, _) {
+          def_local(d_id) {
             find_pre_post_expr(fcx, rhs);
             let p = expr_pp(fcx.ccx, rhs);
             set_pre_and_post(fcx.ccx, larger_id, p.precondition,
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ fn handle_update(fcx: fn_ctxt, parent: @expr, lhs: @expr, rhs: @expr,
             // pure and assign_op require the lhs to be init'd
             let df = node_id_to_def_strict(fcx.ccx.tcx, lhs.id);
             alt df {
-              def_local(d_id, _) {
+              def_local(d_id) {
                 let i =
                     bit_num(fcx,
                             ninit(d_id.node, path_to_ident(p)));
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ fn handle_var(fcx: fn_ctxt, rslt: pre_and_post, id: node_id, name: ident) {
 fn handle_var_def(fcx: fn_ctxt, rslt: pre_and_post, def: def, name: ident) {
     log(debug, ("handle_var_def: ", def, name));
     alt def {
-      def_local(d_id, _) | def_arg(d_id, _) {
+      def_local(d_id) | def_arg(d_id, _) {
         use_var(fcx, d_id.node);
         let i = bit_num(fcx, ninit(d_id.node, name));
         require_and_preserve(i, rslt);
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ fn find_pre_post_stmt(fcx: fn_ctxt, s: stmt) {
           decl_local(alocals) {
             let e_pp;
             let prev_pp = empty_pre_post(num_constraints(fcx.enclosing));
-            for (_, alocal) in alocals {
+            for alocal in alocals {
                 alt alocal.node.init {
                   some(an_init) {
                     /* LHS always becomes initialized,
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/tstate/states.rs b/src/comp/middle/tstate/states.rs
index 815b86f2fe8..73c7f6a6847 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/tstate/states.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/tstate/states.rs
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ fn gen_if_local(fcx: fn_ctxt, p: poststate, e: @expr) -> bool {
     alt e.node {
       expr_path(pth) {
         alt fcx.ccx.tcx.def_map.find(e.id) {
-          some(def_local(loc, _)) {
+          some(def_local(loc)) {
             ret set_in_poststate_ident(fcx, loc.node,
                                        path_to_ident(pth), p);
           }
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/typeck.rs b/src/comp/middle/typeck.rs
index fa6846e2c85..3aae6075eb4 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/typeck.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/typeck.rs
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ fn ty_param_bounds_and_ty_for_def(fcx: @fn_ctxt, sp: span, defn: ast::def) ->
         let typ = ty::mk_var(fcx.ccx.tcx, lookup_local(fcx, sp, id.node));
         ret {bounds: @[], ty: typ};
       }
-      ast::def_local(id, _) {
+      ast::def_local(id) {
         assert (fcx.locals.contains_key(id.node));
         let typ = ty::mk_var(fcx.ccx.tcx, lookup_local(fcx, sp, id.node));
         ret {bounds: @[], ty: typ};
@@ -2526,7 +2526,7 @@ fn check_stmt(fcx: @fn_ctxt, stmt: @ast::stmt) -> bool {
         node_id = id;
         alt decl.node {
           ast::decl_local(ls) {
-            for (_, l) in ls { bot |= check_decl_local(fcx, l); }
+            for l in ls { bot |= check_decl_local(fcx, l); }
           }
           ast::decl_item(_) {/* ignore for now */ }
         }
diff --git a/src/comp/syntax/ast.rs b/src/comp/syntax/ast.rs
index 5c831a5fbe7..26a309d37f5 100644
--- a/src/comp/syntax/ast.rs
+++ b/src/comp/syntax/ast.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ enum def {
     def_native_mod(def_id),
     def_const(def_id),
     def_arg(def_id, mode),
-    def_local(def_id, let_style),
+    def_local(def_id),
     def_variant(def_id /* enum */, def_id /* variant */),
     def_ty(def_id),
     def_prim_ty(prim_ty),
@@ -201,9 +201,7 @@ type local = spanned<local_>;
 
 type decl = spanned<decl_>;
 
-enum let_style { let_copy, let_ref, }
-
-enum decl_ { decl_local([(let_style, @local)]), decl_item(@item), }
+enum decl_ { decl_local([@local]), decl_item(@item), }
 
 type arm = {pats: [@pat], guard: option<@expr>, body: blk};
 
diff --git a/src/comp/syntax/ast_util.rs b/src/comp/syntax/ast_util.rs
index 88148b990f8..3511cd91853 100644
--- a/src/comp/syntax/ast_util.rs
+++ b/src/comp/syntax/ast_util.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ fn variant_def_ids(d: def) -> {enm: def_id, var: def_id} {
 fn def_id_of_def(d: def) -> def_id {
     alt d {
       def_fn(id, _) | def_self(id) | def_mod(id) |
-      def_native_mod(id) | def_const(id) | def_arg(id, _) | def_local(id, _) |
+      def_native_mod(id) | def_const(id) | def_arg(id, _) | def_local(id) |
       def_variant(_, id) | def_ty(id) | def_ty_param(id, _) |
       def_binding(id) | def_use(id) | def_upvar(id, _, _) |
       def_class(id) | def_class_field(_, id) | def_class_method(_, id) { id }
diff --git a/src/comp/syntax/fold.rs b/src/comp/syntax/fold.rs
index 5e30e0c5a3a..0ded2bebd62 100644
--- a/src/comp/syntax/fold.rs
+++ b/src/comp/syntax/fold.rs
@@ -320,13 +320,10 @@ fn noop_fold_pat(p: pat_, fld: ast_fold) -> pat_ {
 }
 
 fn noop_fold_decl(d: decl_, fld: ast_fold) -> decl_ {
-    ret alt d {
-          decl_local(ls) {
-            decl_local(vec::map(ls, {|l| let (st, lc) = l;
-                                 (st, fld.fold_local(lc))}))
-          }
-          decl_item(it) { decl_item(fld.fold_item(it)) }
-        }
+    alt d {
+      decl_local(ls) { decl_local(vec::map(ls, fld.fold_local)) }
+      decl_item(it) { decl_item(fld.fold_item(it)) }
+    }
 }
 
 fn wrap<T>(f: fn@(T, ast_fold) -> T)
diff --git a/src/comp/syntax/parse/parser.rs b/src/comp/syntax/parse/parser.rs
index 8ef68ca6388..d6c6a5edb96 100644
--- a/src/comp/syntax/parse/parser.rs
+++ b/src/comp/syntax/parse/parser.rs
@@ -1511,18 +1511,12 @@ fn parse_pat(p: parser) -> @ast::pat {
             }
         } else if is_plain_ident(p) &&
                       alt p.look_ahead(1u) {
-                        token::LPAREN | token::LBRACKET |
-                            token::LT {
-                          false
-                        }
+                        token::LPAREN | token::LBRACKET | token::LT { false }
                         _ { true }
                       } {
             let name = parse_path(p);
-            let sub = if eat(p, token::AT) {
-                          some(parse_pat(p))
-                      } else {
-                          none
-                      };
+            let sub = if eat(p, token::AT) { some(parse_pat(p)) }
+                      else { none };
             pat = ast::pat_ident(name, sub);
         } else {
             let enum_path = parse_path_and_ty_param_substs(p, true);
@@ -1563,17 +1557,10 @@ fn parse_local(p: parser, allow_init: bool) -> @ast::local {
 }
 
 fn parse_let(p: parser) -> @ast::decl {
-    fn parse_let_style(p: parser) -> ast::let_style {
-        if eat(p, token::BINOP(token::AND)) {
-            ast::let_ref
-        } else {
-            ast::let_copy
-        }
-    }
     let lo = p.span.lo;
-    let locals = [(parse_let_style(p), parse_local(p, true))];
+    let locals = [parse_local(p, true)];
     while eat(p, token::COMMA) {
-        locals += [(parse_let_style(p), parse_local(p, true))];
+        locals += [parse_local(p, true)];
     }
     ret @spanned(lo, p.last_span.hi, ast::decl_local(locals));
 }
diff --git a/src/comp/syntax/print/pprust.rs b/src/comp/syntax/print/pprust.rs
index f11ca11adfa..31360c5bc57 100644
--- a/src/comp/syntax/print/pprust.rs
+++ b/src/comp/syntax/print/pprust.rs
@@ -1082,10 +1082,8 @@ fn print_decl(s: ps, decl: @ast::decl) {
         space_if_not_bol(s);
         ibox(s, indent_unit);
         word_nbsp(s, "let");
-        fn print_local(s: ps, loc_st: (ast::let_style, @ast::local)) {
-            let (st, loc) = loc_st;
+        fn print_local(s: ps, &&loc: @ast::local) {
             ibox(s, indent_unit);
-            if st == ast::let_ref { word(s.s, "&"); }
             print_local_decl(s, loc);
             end(s);
             alt loc.node.init {
diff --git a/src/comp/syntax/visit.rs b/src/comp/syntax/visit.rs
index 2065927ccc9..29d673f6560 100644
--- a/src/comp/syntax/visit.rs
+++ b/src/comp/syntax/visit.rs
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ fn visit_stmt<E>(s: @stmt, e: E, v: vt<E>) {
 fn visit_decl<E>(d: @decl, e: E, v: vt<E>) {
     alt d.node {
       decl_local(locs) {
-        for (_, loc) in locs { v.visit_local(loc, e, v); }
+        for loc in locs { v.visit_local(loc, e, v); }
       }
       decl_item(it) { v.visit_item(it, e, v); }
     }