Vancouver business to pay $40,000 after removing catalytic converters from trucks Thieves have been sawing off catalytic converters from the undersides of cars and selling the precious metals inside them. But there’s another type of catalytic crime going on. John Ryan
Coast Guard postpones effort to remove sunken fishing boat after lifting it to surface Salvage crews have been unable to remove enough fuel and seawater from the Aleutian Isle to lift it onto a barge and transport it away from the critical orca habitat where it sank five weeks ago. John Ryan
Military providing water to Yakima Valley homes after tests show it contaminated area's wells Over the years, the chemicals leached into drinking water near military bases around the United States, including on Whidbey Island and in the Yakima Valley. Eilís O'Neill Play AudioListen 1 min
How long will smoky skies linger above Puget Sound? The smell of the air around the Puget Sound today is... not pleasant. Some KUOW employees described it as "like a smoked ham" or "similar to a car backfiring". So, how long will we be living with this burnt ham, car backfiring, badly-made bonfire smoke? And what is breathing it in doing to our bodies? Libby Denkmann Sarah Leibovitz Play AudioListen 11 mins
After years of sewage spills, King County settles tribal lawsuit, agrees to plant upgrades In 2017, catastrophic failures at the West Point Treatment Plant in Discovery Park turned into one of the worst infrastructure disasters in the region’s history – sending 30 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Sound. The Department of Ecology fined King County and ordered improvements. But smaller spills have continued: In 2018 and 2019 the plant dumped more than six million gallons of untreated or improperly treated sewage into the Puget Sound. So, the Suquamish Tribe took a big step: In 2020, it announced its intent to sue the County. Libby Denkmann Sarah Leibovitz Play AudioListen 12 mins
A public payphone in China began ringing and ringing. Who was calling? It started in July. The callers live in Gourd Island, and they were hoping to share an important message that they saw was being ignored by their local authorities. Aowen Cao Emily Feng
Turning up the heat on gas appliances: why federal regulations could get tighter For many Americans, the sound means something delicious is on the way. Roughly a third of U.S. homes have gas stoves. Climate scientists and some public health experts say that’s a problem: Burning natural gas contributes carbon to the atmosphere. Libby Denkmann Jason Burrows Play AudioListen 16 mins
Scientists try to keep up with chemical blizzard entering Puget Sound Wastewater treatment plants are sending hundreds of unregulated chemicals into Puget Sound. John Ryan Play AudioListen 1 min
Washington state starts capping climate pollution from its biggest sources Washington state is going after big polluters as it tries to slash its planet-heating pollution. John Ryan
Seattle teen tracks private jet emissions of the rich and famous Akash Shendure’s website turns a spotlight on mega-wealthy jetsetters and their mega-emissions. Katie Campbell Angela King Play AudioListen 7 mins
