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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VIDEO: Runaway tanker rolls free for 15 miles near Walla Walla, hitting 50 mph
Federal officials have launched an investigation into a runaway train car that rolled out of control for 15 miles near Walla Walla, Washington, on Tuesday.
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Washington Gov. Inslee declares European green crab emergency
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has authorized emergency actions to combat an infestation of European green crabs.
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Seattle's 'green' power violates salmon's legal rights, tribe says
It’s one of the more unusual plaintiffs you’ll see in a lawsuit: Tsuladxʷ. That’s the Lushootseed word for salmon.
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Why 2021 was a whale of a year for orca sightings
Last year was a banner year for whale watching in Washington state. That is as long as you weren't looking for the region's resident endangered orcas.
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Sea level on steroids: Record tides flood Washington coastlines
Some of the highest tides ever recorded hit Seattle and much of the Washington coast this week.
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For the Northwest, climate change was hard to ignore in 2021
Climate chaos doesn’t wait around until nothing else is going on.
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Jumping slugs: the tiny, slimy acrobats of Northwest forests
Washington and Oregon are home to a group of rare species you’ve probably never heard of. Their name alone might horrify or delight you: the jumping slugs.
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Health officials pin Covid outbreaks on high school wrestling tourneys
High school wrestling tournaments have led to multiple Covid outbreaks in western Washington, according to state officials, including at least 115 cases in King and Snohomish counties alone.
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Battered ship finds a port. 105 of its cargo containers presumed sunk
The ship that spilled more than a hundred cargo containers off the Washington coast, then caught fire has made it safely into port. The same cannot be said for much of the Zim Kingston’s cargo.
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Shoreline nixes natural gas in climate change move, but not all is snuffed out
The Shoreline City Council unanimously approved a new energy code on Monday that prohibits most uses of fossil fuels in new buildings.
