Goodwill City of Yakima

The Goodwill City of Yakima site is a part of the Yakima Railroad Area (YRRA). The Yakima Railroad Area is approximately six square miles in size and includes parts of the cities of Yakima and Union Gap. The Yakima Railroad Area groundwater is contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC) from past industrial use, and is centered around the railroad/industrial corridor of the greater Yakima area.

PCE is a manufactured chemical that is widely used for dry cleaning of fabrics and for metal-degreasing. It is also used to make other chemicals and is used in some consumer products.

Exposure to PCE can be from the air, chemical use, soil, or water. PCE can affect the kidneys, liver, nervous system, and reproductive system, as well as unborn children. There is also an increased risk of certain types of cancer.

More information about potential sources of PCE and associated health risks can be found on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) website.

Currently the site operates at the City of Yakima Law and Justice Center.  
 
From 1942 to 1952, Cheshire Motors automobile dealership owned the property. From 1956 to 1964, Menasco, Kerns and Golden Pontiac automobile dealerships existed at the Site. MDTA Training used the facility from 1968 to 1969. 

Yakima Goodwill Industries purchased the property in 1971 and operated it until 1994. Goodwill salvaged clothing and goods donated by the public. The clothing items were laundered in a small laundry area in the southwest portion of the store. A grated sump was located in the store's production area. When the facility was used as a automobile dealership, it appears that a vehicle wash rack was located directly above it.

The City of Yakima was interested in purchasing the property in 1994 and building a new police station there. The City had an Environmental Site Assessment performed that revealed groundwater on the property exceeding MTCA Method A cleanup standards for PCE.

The City of Yakima agreed to a Prospective Purchase Consent Decree with Ecology on September 15, 1994. The Consent Decree resolves the city from potential liability as the property owner.