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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Covid sewage data kept under wraps despite possible public health benefits
Looking for Covid in wastewater can serve as an early warning system for outbreaks -- at least in theory.
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New highways headed to Seattle area despite drive to fight climate change
Even as Washington state tries to clamp down on climate-harming pollution, it’s building new highways in its two biggest counties.
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Rare whale that visited Seattle washes up dead in Canada
A fin whale spotted off Seattle and Whidbey Island in January has washed up dead northwest of Vancouver, British Columbia.
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Seattle-bound cargo ship spills 90 shipping containers
Nine of the spilled containers are carrying flammable lithium-ion batteries and are considered dangerous cargo.
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Electric vehicle sales have surged in Washington state. But gas cars still dominate
Sales of electric vehicles are accelerating, even as the climate-friendly cars remain a rarity on Washington roads.
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Biden ban on Russian oil hits Anacortes, Washington refinery
Russian oil could be en route to Washington state for several more weeks despite a ban on Russian oil and gas imports imposed by President Joe Biden on Tuesday.
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Can’t we just eat those invasive crabs until they’re gone? (Probably not)
Like the native crabs they often prey on, these destructive invaders are themselves edible.
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Cargo-spilling ship leaves Northwest, returns to Asia
There’s still no sign of 105 shipping containers that the Zim Kingston lost during a storm off the Olympic Peninsula.
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These scientists are fighting the pandemic with sewage
Cutting-edge biomedical research sometimes begins by prying a heavy steel lid off a sewer hole.
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Think 85,000 invasive crabs is a lot? Wait 'til you see Vancouver Island
While record numbers of green crabs were found near Bellingham last year, even more of the voracious European crabs have turned up just across Washington’s watery border with Canada.