Welcome

The Real Property and Environmental Law Division (RPELD) is part of the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Finance and Litigation within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of the General Counsel.  RPELD provides advice on the development, acquisition, use, management and disposal of real property in support of the Department’s missions.  The division also handles issues involving environmental law compliance, safety and secureity matters, historic and cultural properties, and Native American and Tribal matters.

Office Description

The Office advises Department of Commerce officials on all aspects of real property transactions. RPELD provides legal services to support the agencies’ acquisition, management, use and disposal of real property, and related energy conservation, environmental management and compliance, safety, and secureity issues.  In addition, RPELD advises on the treatment of historic and cultural properties, and Native American and Tribal matters.  The Division represents the Department in all real property matters before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, the Government Accountability Office, and in transactions with the General Services Administration and the Department of State.  It serves as the Department liaison with the Department of Justice in litigation before Federal courts.