Required Viewing: KCTS 9, InvestigateWest Partner to Report on Pollution
Any commuter who's tried to get through South Seattle on the freeway knows how gnarly it can get. The shipping trucks pass each other on the s-curves, billowing clouds of black fumes behind them. These trucks are on their way in and out of the Port of Seattle, between gateway to West Seattle and Beacon Hill. And they aren't just noxious to drivers--they're toxic to residents in the area.
The long-form journalism aces InvestigateWest have joined forces with public broadcasting station KCTS 9 to co-produce "Breathing Uneasy," a special report that delves deep into the issue of air pollution in the Duwamish River Valley. The results, which have been published on Crosscut, are fascinating--and sad. Reporters Robert McClure and Jenny Cunningham have dug into air quality reports, interviewed residents and examined legislature that could have helped clean the source of the pollutants--hauling trucks--if it hadn't been fought by the Port of Seattle's Chief Executive Officer.
This kind of investigative reporting is so critical to the media landscape in Seattle, and we applaud InvestigateWest and KCTS 9 for dedicating themselves to bringing important issues like this to light, in such a well-researched and thoughtful way. This is a must-see.
The report will air on KCTS 9 on Friday, at 7 p.m. Or, if you don't have TV (or can't wait to see it), the video is also available online.
