SKAGIT COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A property meant to serve at-risk youth in Skagit County has ended up on a cleanup list.

The Washington State Department of Ecology says that the Northwest Youth Services site in Mount Vernon was placed on their contaminated sites list earlier this month.

Both buildings on the property were closed in March, prior to their addition to the state’s cleanup list.

The organization purchased the two buildings on N. 4th St. in 2023, which were being used as a drop-in building and residential units. Property data shows the drop-in center building used to function as a gas station before closing in the early 60’s.

Environmental site assessments done in 2022 and 2023 found gas and oil contamination in the soil and groundwater.

Ecology believes that the contamination mainly stems from an old underground storage tank from when the property was still a gas station.

A timeline for reopening and decontamination has not yet been determined.