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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Environment
Extreme heat cooks shellfish alive on Puget Sound beaches
Tribes and scientists report devastation of marine life on the shorelines of Washington and British Columbia.
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Environment
The town that broke Canada’s heat record has burned to the ground
Washington state might feel the effects of British Columbia’s crushing heat and fires in the water as well as in the air.
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Environment
Glacial rivers rage as heat wave bites into Northwest snowpack
At mile-high Paradise on Mt. Rainier, 30 inches of snow melted in just four days of extreme heat.
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Environment
Activists push back against rising air pollution from Sea-Tac Airport
Sea-Tac Airport is reporting more takeoffs and landings than at any time since early March 2020, when travel of all kinds took a nose dive in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Environment
Heat wave could hit Seattle area neighborhoods differently – possible 20 degrees difference
The heat wave expected this weekend in western Washington won’t hit everyone the same.
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Environment
Endangered orcas missing from their home waters for 10 weeks
Southern resident killer whales haven’t been seen in their home waters for more than two months.
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Health
Chlorine shortage hits Northwest drinking water suppliers
Water utilities in Washington and Oregon are scrambling to keep customers supplied with safe drinking water following an equipment failure at the Northwest’s main supplier of chlorine.
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Environment
Asian giant hornet carcass found in Snohomish County
Scientists have confirmed an Asian giant hornet has been found in Marysville, about 50 miles farther south than the invasive insect has been spotted before.
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Environment
Another smoky summer could be on Washington's horizon
Western Washington may not be in a drought, but much of the state and the West Coast is. That means Seattle could be in for another smoky summer.
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Sabotage caused Washington oil-train disaster, rail union says
The oil train came apart on the snowy tracks north of Bellingham shortly after the locomotive engineer got the mile-long chain of petroleum tanks on wheels under way.