John Ryan
Reporter
About
John Ryan joined KUOW as its first full-time investigative reporter in 2009 and took on the environment beat 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 a Society of Environmental Journalists award for in-depth reporting.
He is a shop steward for KUOW’s SAG-AFTRA newsroom union and believes democracy only works when journalism holds the powerful accountable for their words and actions.
John welcomes tips, documents and feedback from listeners. 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
Professional Affiliations: SAG-AFTRA shop steward
Stories
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How much are safer streets worth? Seattle leaders, voters to decide
Making roads (and sidewalks and trails) safer for everyone can be an expensive proposition.
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Bremerton treats Kitsap Lake to tackle toxic algae
Ever heard of lanthanum? The city of Bremerton plans to use a powdered form of lanthanum to lower levels of phosphorus in the city’s only lake, Kitsap Lake.
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Troubled fishing boat successfully raised from sea floor off San Juan Island
Salvage crews have successfully raised a 48-foot fishing boat that had sunk near the northwest tip of San Juan Island.
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This transit agency could be the first in the Northwest to use hydrogen-powered buses
Move over, electric buses — there's a new clean option in the Northwest.
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Seattle is now an air conditioning town
For the first time, most homes in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties now have air conditioning.
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Seattle stayed cool in April while the planet felt record heat
Though Seattle residents might not believe it, April 2024 was the earth’s hottest April on record, with pollution-fueled heat expected to continue.
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2 tons of cocaine, 1 whale-stranded sailor: Coast Guard cutter’s haul
A Coast Guard cutter from Port Angeles plucked six smugglers and one unlucky sailor from the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
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Extra-low (and high) tides coming to Puget Sound this week
Extra-low tides on Puget Sound May 8 to May 12 bring opportunities to witness sea stars and other colorful creatures along local shorelines.
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Climate change supercharged the Northwest heat dome
“That event really was longer, larger, and more extreme due to climate change.”
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Federal disaster declared for 16 Washington counties
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has issued a disaster declaration for 16 counties in Washington state following weeks of extreme winter weather in January.