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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Environment
Inslee touts carbon cap, heat pumps at United Nations
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee touted his state’s actions on climate change at the United Nations this week as world leaders gathered to call for more aggressive action to slash fossil fuel emissions and save the global climate.
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Environment
One hiker's eerie night trekking past a North Cascades wildfire
“I’ve never walked by anything like that before,” Campos said at 3:30 a.m. “The fire was right next to the road. Little fireballs rolling down, landing in the ditch right next to the road. Bowling-ball-size rocks, laying in the road. Pretty intense.”
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Environment
Fire-prone old BNSF train ignited 500-acre Columbia Gorge blaze, state finds
Chunks of hot carbon and lubricant pads spewed from a 1970s-era BNSF Railway locomotive caused a wildfire in southern Washington in July, according to an investigation from the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
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Environment
Rocketing boulders, dwindling streams: signs of WA's shriveling glaciers
Zack McGill was guiding a group of climbers down from the icy summit of Washington’s Mount Baker when he saw something few have seen: torso-sized boulders rocketing down the mountain at about 40 miles an hour.
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Environment
Climate-friendly heat pumps are not cheap. Rebates can help
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Environment
Fuel, heat, drought, wind: Recipe for big Spokane wildfires
"The hotter and drier it is, the more intense the wildfire.”
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Environment
Perseid meteor shower casualties: Mount Rainier wildflowers
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Environment
Sourdough Fire consumes another 1,000 acres, cuts dam power to Seattle
The rapidly growing fire forced Seattle City Light to disconnect two dams from the power grid that serves customers in the Seattle area.
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Environment
Power production resumes at Skagit dams near Sourdough Fire
Seattle City Light has resumed power generation at two dams on the Skagit River as the Sourdough Fire continues to burn in Washington’s North Cascades.
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Environment
2 rambunctious youngsters, no dying elders might spell hope for NW orcas
Whale researchers say the Northwest’s endangered orcas have apparently had a very good year.