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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Washington state low-income energy aid continues despite federal shutdown
The U.S. government shutdown has turned off the spigot of federal aid for people who need help to keep the heat on, but the situation in Washington state is less dire than elsewhere.
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See no emissions? State attorneys say Trump plan to stop tracking climate pollution is illegal
A coalition of 15 states including Washington and Oregon says a Trump administration proposal to turn a blind eye to greenhouse gas pollution is illegal.
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Endangered orcas return to Puget Sound without newborn J64, presumed dead
Almost the entire population of southern resident killer whales gathered in central Puget Sound on Sunday, but the newest member of J Pod, a newborn known as J64, was not among them.
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Federal protection sought for Olympic Peninsula marmots
Environmentalists are suing the Trump administration to protect an animal found only on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula.
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Furloughed feds pick up Seattle beach trash to keep serving the public
Furloughed federal employees were out in the rain picking up cigarette butts, bottle caps, and other trash at Seattle’s Golden Gardens Park on Friday.
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Return of The Blob: Heat wave spans Pacific Ocean
A massive heat wave is hitting the Pacific Ocean from Kamchatka to California.
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Trump energy department axes funding for Northwest hydrogen hub
The Trump administration announced Wednesday night, the first night of the federal government shutdown, that it is revoking $7.6 billion in funding for clean-energy projects in 16 Democratic-leaning states, including a $1 billion cut to the Pacific Northwest’s multi-state hydrogen hub.
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How will the government shutdown hit Washington state? It depends
As Washington state braces for the first shutdown since 2019 — the longest in history at 35 days — a number of state and federal governments announced their operations would be unaffected. But at some agencies, impacts are still a question-mark — particularly the longer the shutdown lasts.
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Saving Puget Sound's puffins: Bringing these ocean ambassadors back from the brink
Tufted puffins are endangered in Washington state, and researchers hope to boost their sagging population there, currently estimated at 2,500 birds statewide.
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Washington sees 11th-hour rush to buy EVs before tax incentive disappears
Washington's electric vehicle sales have mostly sagged in 2025. But with federal tax breaks for purchasing electric vehicles disappearing at the end of September, interest in plug-in vehicles has surged — at least temporarily.
