John Ryan
Environment Reporter
About
John Ryan joined KUOW as its first full-time investigative reporter in 2009 and became its environment reporter in 2018. He focuses on climate change, energy, and the ecosystems of the Puget Sound region. He has also investigated toxic air pollution, landslides, failed cleanups, and money in politics for KUOW.
Over a quarter century as an environmental journalist, John has covered everything from Arctic drilling to Indonesian reef bombing. He has been a reporter at NPR stations in southeast and southwest Alaska (KTOO-Juneau and KUCB-Unalaska) and at the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce.
John’s stories have won multiple national awards for KUOW, including the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi awards for Public Service in Radio Journalism and for Investigative Reporting, national Edward R. Murrow and PMJA/PRNDI awards for coverage of breaking news, and Society of Environmental Journalists awards for in-depth reporting.
John welcomes tips, documents, and feedback. Reach him at jryan@kuow.org or for secure, encrypted communication, he's at heyjohnryan@protonmail.com or 1-401-405-1206 on the Signal messaging app.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English, some Spanish, some Indonesian
Professional Affiliations: SAG-AFTRA union member and former shop steward; Society of Environmental Journalists member and mentor
Stories
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Health
First child flu death in King County — since 2009
A King County child died of complications from influenza in a Pierce County Hospital on Sunday, according to King County-Seattle Public Health.
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Environment
Air agency approves Tacoma gas plant. Foes vow to fight on
Claims by the energy utility and its regulator that the plant would help the global climate are false.
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Environment
Puget Sound was supposed to be healthy by now. It's not
Fifteen years after Governor Chris Gregoire set a goal to clean up Puget Sound by 2020, a new report from the Puget Sound Partnership finds the job is nowhere near complete.
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Environment
Atlantic salmon farms in Puget Sound taken to court
Atlantic salmon farms go on trial today [MONDAY, DEC. 2] in Seattle. Environmentalists have taken the owners of a salmon farm that collapsed two years ago to court for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act. KUOW’s John Ryan reports.
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Environment
Sorry, climate: Washington state's carbon emissions stay stubbornly high
Washington state’s carbon emissions remain stubbornly high, despite the efforts of Gov. Jay Inslee and others to rein in the climate-wrecking pollution, according to the latest numbers from the Washington Department of Ecology.
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Biggest Carbon Loser: KUOW launches reality-radio contest for emerging climate savers
We’re looking for contestants! KUOW is launching a new reality-radio contest where three listeners will compete for one month to reduce their carbon footprint and help save the climate.
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Environment
Barge spills crude oil into Puget Sound
A barge offloading 5 million gallons of crude oil from Alaska spilled an unknown amount into the waters of Fidalgo Bay, off Anacortes, Washington late Friday night.
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Environment
After 20 years, Makah Tribe aims to harpoon gray whales again
Twenty years after its last successful whale hunt, the Makah Tribe is inching closer to getting to harpoon gray whales again off the Washington coast.
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Environment
What to do with toxic waste next to Lake Washington? Burn it underground
The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a surprising cleanup plan for some toxic waste along the shores of Lake Washington. It wants to burn it underground.
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Move over, Seattle pedestrians? Scooters may be headed your way
Bothell, Everett, Redmond, Spokane and Tacoma have all welcomed rental scooters to their streets and sidewalks. Now Seattle plans to make motorized scooters available to rent in the first half of next year. KUOW's John Ryan reports.