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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KUOW Newsroom
Safety device, human error derailed Anacortes train, federal officials say
The Federal Railroad Administration has confirmed KUOW reporting that a safety device meant to keep trains from plunging into Puget Sound knocked a train off the tracks and onto the Swinomish Reservation early Thursday morning.
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KUOW Blog
Train derails near Anacortes, spills up to 3,100 gallons of diesel
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KUOW Newsroom
Pizza-sized predators to get federal protection
The world’s fastest sea star could get a little boost from the U.S. government.
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KUOW Newsroom
FBI offers $50k reward to catch Northwest grid's armed attackers
The FBI is offering $50,000 in hopes of catching whoever shot up two electrical substations in Oregon and Washington in November.
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KUOW Blog
Dam owner pleads guilty after spilling turf, tire bits in Puyallup River
The head of a hydropower company has pleaded guilty after putting two football fields’ worth of artificial turf in the Puyallup River in Pierce County.
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KUOW Newsroom
Bidding for the right to pollute, WA's first carbon allowance auction
Companies had three hours to bid for the right to keep pumping out carbon dioxide and other gases that are overheating the planet.
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KUOW Blog
WA lawmakers eye ban on 2-mile-long trains
A bill, approved by the House Transportation Committee Thursday afternoon, would prohibit most trains over 7,500 feet long. Advocates say the move would reduce the danger of rail accidents.
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KUOW Newsroom
Hydropower in western U.S. resurges after hitting 20-year low
With 145 large federal dams, Washington state is the nation’s leading producer of hydropower.
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KUOW Newsroom
Seattle hospital puts patients under without overheating the planet
The gases that are used to sedate patients also heat up the climate in a big way.
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Washington state starts capping climate pollution from its biggest sources
Washington state is going after big polluters as it tries to slash its planet-heating pollution.