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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What it’s like to evacuate from a forest fire: the view from Index
Shortly before evacuating their home near the mountain town of Index, Washington, Jay Held and his wife, Virginia Held, felt sick to their stomachs.
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Bolt Creek Fire has burned up to 8,000 acres, and many aren't evacuating
KUOW environment reporter John Ryan talks with Kim Malcolm about the Bolt Creek Fire.
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High-end coolers wash up on Alaska beaches after Washington cargo spill
Consumer goods from coolers to bike helmets have been washing up on Alaskan beaches, up to 1,200 miles from a cargo spill off the Washington coast.
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Fishing boat that sank in orca waters ran into trouble 24 hours earlier
The fishing boat that sank off San Juan Island in August had run into trouble – apparently running aground – the previous day.
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Swinomish Tribe builds US’s first modern ‘clam garden,' reviving ancient practice
By the time you read this story, what it describes will probably have disappeared beneath the waves. That’s how it was meant to be -- and how it used to be.
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California bans new gas cars by 2035. Northwest states to follow.
The California Air Resources Board voted Thursday to ban the sale of gasoline-powered cars by the year 2035. The move is expected to trigger big changes in the Northwest and beyond.
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Washington to phase out new gasoline-powered cars by 2035
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says the state will phase out the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by the year 2035.
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How communities persevere through climate catastrophe
It can be hard in 2022 to look at climate issues and not feel despair. But across the country, communities are persevering through our new climate reality.
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Deepwater diesel cleanup stalls at San Juans shipwreck
U.S. Coast Guard officials say divers won’t be able to reach the Aleutian Isle, a sunken fishing boat off San Juan Island, until next week.
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Second heat wave of 2022 hits Northwest. A third is in the forecast
Much of the Pacific Northwest is under a heat advisory or heat warning through Thursday night.
