Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency

What Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency does

Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency (YRCAA) is a municipal corporation and political subdivision of the State of Washington, activated in July 1967 under the Washington Clean Air Act (originally RCW 70.94.081, now Chapter 70A.15 RCW) to regulate air pollution from stationary sources in Yakima County. The agency holds exclusive delegated authority to enforce the federal Clean Air Act, the Washington Clean Air Act, and agency-specific regulations within its jurisdiction, excluding Yakama Nation Reservation lands. YRCAA is governed by a five-member Board of Directors representing the County, the City of Yakima (largest city), other incorporated cities, and a citizen member-at-large; current leadership is Executive Director Marc Thornsbury.

Core services include air quality monitoring (via Federal Reference Method and Federal Equivalent Method monitors at sites in downtown Yakima and Sunnyside, operated under agreement with the Washington Department of Ecology and reported to the EPA), permitting (Notice of Construction permits and Air Operating Permits for major sources), color-coded burn ban management (Green/Yellow/Red), a Compliance Assistance Program providing one-on-one technical assistance to businesses, public records requests, complaint intake (referring indoor air quality issues to the Yakima Health District or L&I as appropriate), the cross-jurisdictional Northwest Opacity Certification (EPA Method 9 training/testing, recognized by CARB), and the grant-funded Residential Wood Stove Replacement Program offering rebates up to $4,400 plus low-income no-cost replacements.

YRCAA's revenue model is hybrid: industry fees (NOC, Air Operating Permit, registration, burn permits, civil penalties) plus a $0.48 per capita assessment from incorporated cities and the County under RCW 70A.15.1600, supplemented by federal/state grants and NOC certification revenue. The agency regulates 350+ commercial and industrial facilities spanning food processing (J.M. Smucker, Darigold, Welch Foods, Cargill), agriculture (Yakima Chief Hops, Valley Wide Cooperative, Ostrom Mushroom Farm), manufacturing (International Paper, SunSteel, Paragon Films, Novolex Shields, Alexandria Moulding, WestRock Longview, Weyerhaeuser), waste management (Cheyne Landfill, Terrace Heights Landfill, DTG Recycle), renewable energy (Pacific Ag Renewables RNG), and pipelines (Northwest Pipeline), serving a Yakima County population of approximately 230,000.

Name

Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency

Legal name

Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency

Website

https://yakimacleanair.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency is a Washington State municipal corporation established in 1967 that regulates stationary-source air pollution for approximately 230,000 Yakima County residents and 350+ commercial/industrial facilities, enforcing federal and state clean air laws via permits, monitoring, and compliance assistance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Yakima

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Industry fees: The agency is funded primarily through fees charged to companies with the potential to emit pollutants into the air. This includes permit fees, registration fees, burn permit fees, Notice of Construction application fees, Air Operating Permit fees, and other regulatory fees. Fee schedules are published annually.
2. Per capita assessment: The agency receives per capita funding from incorporated cities within Yakima County and from Yakima County itself for unincorporated areas, at an annual rate of $0.48 per capita (as of 2025) pursuant to RCW 70A.15.1600.
3. Northwest Opacity Certification: Revenue from providing EPA Method 9 Visible Emission Certification training and testing in Washington and Oregon. Offers certification training, testing events at multiple locations, and private on-site training.
4. Federal and state grants: Additional funding through certain federal and state grants, including grant funding for the Residential Wood Smoke Reduction program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

YRCAA is the delegated governmental air pollution control authority for Yakima County, Washington, enforcing the federal Clean Air Act, Washington Clean Air Act, and YRCAA Regulations. The agency issues Notice of Construction and Air Operating permits, conducts compliance inspections and wood smoke enforcement, operates ambient air quality monitoring stations, administers a Wood Stove Replacement Program, manages seasonal burn bans, and provides Northwest Opacity Certification training and examination for smoke inspectors across Washington and Oregon.

Product overview

Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency (YRCAA) is a regulatory agency providing air quality management services in Yakima County, Washington. Rather than a unified software product, the agency offers a portfolio of services including: air quality monitoring and burn ban management (via color-coded restriction system), permit services (Notice of Construction and Air Operating Permits), the Northwest Opacity Certification smoke school program, the Wood Stove Replacement Program offering rebates up to $4,400, a Compliance Assistance Program for businesses, online payment processing for permits and fees, public records requests, and air quality complaint filing. The agency serves approximately 230,000 residents and regulates over 350 commercial and industrial facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Notice of Construction Permits Permits issued to commercial and industrial operators for new installations, modifications, or changes to air contaminant sources within Yakima County. Includes NOC application filing and review.
• Air Operating Permits Operating permits issued to stationary sources subject to agency air quality rules, governing ongoing emissions and operational compliance.
• Compliance Assistance Program (CAP) Compliance assistance services for small businesses and agricultural operations to help them understand and meet air quality rule requirements, including on-farm compliance and agricultural burning rules.
• Northwest Opacity Certification Training and certification program for smoke inspectors, accepted across multiple jurisdictions in Washington and Oregon (including Ecology, SWCAA, PSCAA, ORCAA, and others). Involves a fee-based registration and examination process.
• Wood Stove Replacement Program Program that provides qualifying Yakima County residents with rebates/incentives to replace older, higher-emitting wood stoves and inserts with cleaner EPA-certified heating devices.
• Air Quality Complaint Filing Service allowing residents to file complaints about suspected air quality violations (e.g., wood smoke, agricultural burning, industrial emissions) for agency follow-up and enforcement.
• Public Records Requests Process by which members of the public can request access to agency records under Washington's Public Records Act.
• Air Quality Monitoring and Burn Ban Alerts Continuous ambient air quality monitoring with associated burn ban declarations, AQI reporting, and email subscription alerting for Yakima County residents and businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 350+ commercial and industrial facilities registered and inspected
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers30 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• University of WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Washington's Department of Atmospheric Sciences provides meteorological data and research collaboration. YRCAA participates in UW research studies including wildfire safety surveys and contributes data to the university's atmospheric science research programs.
• Washington State Department of EcologycoreTechnology or IntegrationThe Department of Ecology owns and maintains air quality monitoring equipment in Yakima County. YRCAA operates these FRM and FEM monitors under agreement with the Department. The Department determines monitoring locations, equipment, and pollutants monitored, and reports data to the EPA.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPA establishes National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) that YRCAA enforces. EPA designates attainment/nonattainment areas and provides regulatory oversight. YRCAA's Northwest Opacity Certification is EPA Method 9 compliant and EPA-audited. YRCAA also implements certain state-level programs (e.g., Residential Wood Smoke Reduction) on non-tribal properties.
• Yakima County Fire MarshalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe County Fire Marshal has authority over fire safety burn restrictions and declares annual fire safety burn restrictions (June 1 through August 31). The Fire Marshal handles violations of county fire safety burn bans, while YRCAA handles air quality burn bans and burning violations in urban growth areas.
• Incorporated Cities of Yakima CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYakima County incorporated cities (including City of Yakima as the largest city) participate in agency governance through the Board of Directors and City Selection Committee. Cities also contribute per capita funding and receive burn ban alerts and air quality information for dissemination to residents.
• Yakima Health DistrictminorOthersThe Yakima Health District handles indoor air quality concerns in public areas of commercial/industrial facilities. YRCAA refers indoor commercial air quality complaints to the Health District.
• Washington State Department of Labor and IndustriesminorOthersL&I handles indoor air quality concerns in non-public areas of commercial/industrial facilities. YRCAA refers such industrial indoor air quality complaints to L&I.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Federal agency that sets NAAQS, audits YRCAA's Method 9 program, designated the Yakima area attainment in 2005, and oversees delegated state/local air programs. Establishes the regulatory framework that YRCAA implements within its jurisdiction.
• California Air Resources Board (CARB): State-level air quality regulator that recognizes YRCAA's Northwest Opacity Certification for visible-emissions observers. Operates at much broader scale but is the highest-credibility reference point for opacity certification and air quality enforcement methodology.
• Washington State Department of Ecology: Owns and maintains the air quality monitoring equipment YRCAA operates, sets statewide agricultural burning rules, and provides the EnviWA real-time data platform. Functions as YRCAA's upstream regulator and infrastructure partner.

Direct peers

• Puget Sound Clean Air Agency: Washington's largest local clean air agency, operating under the same Chapter 70A.15 RCW framework as YRCAA. Comparable in regulatory mandate (permitting, compliance, attainment enforcement) though much larger in scale and budget.
• Benton Clean Air Authority: Small Washington activated clean air authority serving Benton County. Most direct scale-comparable peer to YRCAA in terms of headcount, single-county scope, and reliance on agricultural/industrial fee base.
• Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA): Washington State local air authority covering Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties. Same statutory basis, same permit types (NOC, AOP, burn permits), and comparable operating model.
• Northwest Clean Air Agency: Activated local air authority for Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, and Island counties under the same Washington Clean Air Act framework. Directly comparable in scope, products (permits, NOC certification, wood smoke programs), and constituency (rural + industrial).
• Olympic Region Clean Air Agency: Washington local air authority serving Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston counties. Provides comparable air quality permitting, complaint response, and attainment enforcement services under the same statutory framework as YRCAA.
• Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency: Another Washington State activated local air authority under RCW 70A.15, serving a comparable regulatory role in Spokane County with industry permitting, burn bans, NAAQS enforcement, and a small professional staff.

Regional players

• Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA): Oregon's only multi-county local air authority, providing comparable delegated air pollution control functions under Oregon's parallel clean air act. Comparable in scope of products (permitting, wood smoke programs, opacity certification training) but operates under Oregon rather than Washington law.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yakima-regional-clean-air-agency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency