diff --git a/.github/.OwlBot.lock.yaml b/.github/.OwlBot.lock.yaml
index 9ee60f7..b771c37 100644
--- a/.github/.OwlBot.lock.yaml
+++ b/.github/.OwlBot.lock.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 docker:
   image: gcr.io/repo-automation-bots/owlbot-python:latest
-  digest: sha256:aea14a583128771ae8aefa364e1652f3c56070168ef31beb203534222d842b8b
+  digest: sha256:a1a891041baa4ffbe1a809ac1b8b9b4a71887293c9101c88e8e255943c5aec2d
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 75173fa..018a60c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@
 
 [1]: https://pypi.org/project/google-cloud-runtimeconfig/#history
 
+### [0.32.4](https://www.github.com/googleapis/python-runtimeconfig/compare/v0.32.3...v0.32.4) (2021-08-13)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* remove pytz dependency ([#78](https://www.github.com/googleapis/python-runtimeconfig/issues/78)) ([89e51b3](https://www.github.com/googleapis/python-runtimeconfig/commit/89e51b3b3bfce9c44ecd1fa214f393a3b6a23bb5))
+
 ### [0.32.3](https://www.github.com/googleapis/python-runtimeconfig/compare/v0.32.2...v0.32.3) (2021-07-23)
 
 
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index 93a4786..bb9194c 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@
 # directories to ignore when looking for source files.
 exclude_patterns = [
     "_build",
+    "**/.nox/**/*",
     "samples/AUTHORING_GUIDE.md",
     "samples/CONTRIBUTING.md",
     "samples/snippets/README.rst",
diff --git a/google/cloud/runtimeconfig/variable.py b/google/cloud/runtimeconfig/variable.py
index d68378b..77afcfc 100644
--- a/google/cloud/runtimeconfig/variable.py
+++ b/google/cloud/runtimeconfig/variable.py
@@ -38,8 +38,6 @@
 import base64
 import datetime
 
-import pytz
-
 from google.api_core import datetime_helpers
 from google.cloud.exceptions import Conflict, NotFound
 from google.cloud.runtimeconfig._helpers import variable_name_from_full_name
@@ -218,7 +216,7 @@ def update_time(self):
                 value = DatetimeNS.from_rfc3339(value)
             naive = value.tzinfo is None or value.tzinfo.utcoffset(value) is None
             if naive:
-                value = pytz.utc.localize(value)
+                value = value.astimezone(tz=datetime.timezone.utc)
         return value
 
     def _require_client(self, client):
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 5480de8..5dfe2e5 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -22,13 +22,18 @@
 
 name = "google-cloud-runtimeconfig"
 description = "Google Cloud RuntimeConfig API client library"
-version = "0.32.3"
+version = "0.32.4"
 # Should be one of:
 # 'Development Status :: 3 - Alpha'
 # 'Development Status :: 4 - Beta'
 # 'Development Status :: 5 - Production/Stable'
 release_status = "Development Status :: 4 - Beta"
-dependencies = ["google-cloud-core >= 1.3.0, < 3.0dev"]
+dependencies = [
+    # NOTE: Maintainers, please do not require google-cloud-core>=2.x.x
+    # Until this issue is closed
+    # https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-python/issues/10566
+    "google-cloud-core >= 1.3.0, < 3.0dev",
+]
 extras = {}