What led to oil-train disaster? Investigators eye equipment, tracks, even sabotage Why would a train moving 7 miles an hour derail? Why would supposedly puncture-resistant tankers rupture at such a low speed? The FBI wants to know. John Ryan
“The train is on fire”: the tense moments after an oil train derailed Here’s what the train’s three-person crew and firefighters did to keep an oily disaster from getting much worse. John Ryan
King County blames power outages for big sewage spills. Tribe blames the county. While King County officials blame power outages from a wind storm for millions of gallons of sewage entering Lake Washington and Puget Sound early Wednesday morning, critics say the county needs to be held accountable for the pollution. John Ryan Play AudioListen 2 mins
Study: Air Pollution Contributes To 500,000 Newborn Deaths A Year The culprit is air pollution — a problem around the globe, from homes where people cook using coal and wood to the smoky streets of San Francisco when wildfires were raging. Michaeleen Doucleff
Smoke in the water: wildfire soot doesn’t just disappear once it rains Rain has knocked down the smoke plaguing the Northwest, but smoky hazards linger. John Ryan Play AudioListen 2 mins
Michigan Agrees To Pay $600 Million To Flint Residents Over Water Debacle A summary of the preliminary settlement shows that nearly 80% of the money would go to resolve claims filed on behalf of minors and children. Bill Chappell
In Seattle’s polluted valley, pandemic and particulates are twin threats From a boat on the Duwamish River, it’s easy to see giant yellow excavators plucking crushed cars off the ground and swinging them toward an open-air shredder. At Seattle Iron and Metal, mounds of shredded steel as big as apartment buildings loom above the river. John Ryan Play AudioListen 5 mins
Sea-Tac planes are emitting a unique kind of pollution —and it's not regulated Airplanes at Sea-Tac airport are polluting the communities below with tiny "ultrafine" pollution Paige Browning Play AudioListen 2 mins
Barge spills crude oil into Puget Sound A barge offloading 5 million gallons of crude oil from Alaska spilled an unknown amount into the waters of Fidalgo Bay, off Anacortes, Washington late Friday night. John Ryan
The biggest soot polluter in the region is on King County land. Should it be? Kim Malcolm talks with investigative reporter Robert McClure about the Ardagh Group's glass recycling plant in south Seattle. Kim Malcolm Play AudioListen 6 mins