In another clash with the Dukakis state administration, Deland blocked the development of a shopping mall in Attleboro, Mass., arguing the complex would destroy environmentally important wetlands.
Deland said the EPA plans to require Grace to clean all contaminants at the Woburn plant under the federal Superfund cleanup act.
"I view this to be intolerable corporate behavior and the kind of behavior we will continue to pursue with the criminal remedies available to us," EPA Regional Administrator Michael R. Deland said after the plea.
A darkhorse candidate for the same job is Michael Deland, EPA's regional administrator in Boston who was the point man in federal efforts to clean up Boston Harbor.
During last year's presidential race, Deland added fuel to the Bush campaign's attack on Democratic opponent Michael Dukakis for failing as Massachusetts governor to clean up Boston Harbor.
"We have admittedly taken longer than this four months, although it is arguable whether the four months is a mandatory requirement or not," EPA Regional Administrator Michael Deland said in an interview.
Foreign companies are hiring twice the number of Americans they did a decade ago, says Howard Bratches of Thorndike Deland Associates.
"Deland is a very strong environmentalist" whose selection is "very much a positive step," said David Gardiner of the Sierra Club's Washington office.