diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/Atom.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/Atom.js
index f026a0fc6a..75933ada90 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Format/Atom.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Format/Atom.js
@@ -179,8 +179,6 @@ OpenLayers.Format.Atom = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format.XML, {
     buildEntryNode: function(feature) {
         var attrib = feature.attributes;
         var atomAttrib = attrib.atom || {};
-        var atomns = this.namespaces.atom;
-        var georssns = this.namespaces.georss;
         var entryNode = this.createElementNSPlus("atom:entry");
         
         // atom:author
@@ -370,7 +368,6 @@ OpenLayers.Format.Atom = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format.XML, {
      * TODO: how to specify extension elements? Add to the oNames array?
      */
     buildPersonConstructNode: function(name, value) {
-        var oNode;
         var oNames = ["uri", "email"];
         var personNode = this.createElementNSPlus("atom:" + name);
         personNode.appendChild(
@@ -699,7 +696,7 @@ OpenLayers.Format.Atom = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format.XML, {
         var nodes = this.getElementsByTagNameNS(node, atomns, name);
         var oAtts = ["uri", "email"];
         for (var i=0, ii=nodes.length; i<ii; i++) {
-            value = {};
+            var value = {};
             value.name = this.getFirstChildValue(
                             nodes[i],
                             atomns,
@@ -707,7 +704,7 @@ OpenLayers.Format.Atom = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Format.XML, {
                             null
                             );
             for (var j=0, jj=oAtts.length; j<jj; j++) {
-                attval = this.getFirstChildValue(
+                var attval = this.getFirstChildValue(
                             nodes[i],
                             atomns,
                             oAtts[j],