{"argument_date":"2006-02-21T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2006-02-21T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2005","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Rowe argued the water flow through the dams is a discharge.","Mr. Kayatta argued the river is a single body of water.","Mr. Minear argued the term discharge means flowing out.","Justice Scalia asked if the water is unchanged below the dam."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 35-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 35-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 19-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 19-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 13-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 13-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 13-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-13"}]}],"caption":"S. D. Warren Co. v. Maine Bd. of Environmental Protection","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.703331Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.735030Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"S. D. Warren argues water moving through its dams is not a discharge. Maine and the United States argue it is a discharge.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 35-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 35-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 19-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 19-3"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2006-02-21T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2005","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/04-1527.html","primary_docket":"04-1527","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T13:53:17.863873Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["The case tests whether water flowing through a dam is a discharge. This status triggers state water-quality certification requirements."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 35-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 35-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 19-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 19-3"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 21, 2006."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 5-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["S. D. Warren wants the Court to rule that water passing through its dams is not a discharge.","Maine and the United States want the Court to rule that water passing through the dams is a discharge."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 35-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 35-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 19-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 19-3"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["S. D. Warren argues the river is a single body of water. It claims moving water through a dam is not a discharge into that same body.","Maine and the United States argue the term discharge means flowing out. They claim operating the dams results in a discharge into navigable waters."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 35-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 35-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 19-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 19-3"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Stevens asked if the water has a slightly different chemical composition.","Chief Justice Roberts asked if the water is a discharge even if it is the same water."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 13-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 13-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 13-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-13"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome determines whether states can require water-quality certifications for hydropower dams. This affects how states regulate water quality near dams."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 35-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 35-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 19-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 19-3"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 13-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 13-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 13-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-13"}]}],"slug":"2005-04-1527-s-d-warren-co-v-maine-bd-of-environmental-protection","term":"2005","title":"Does water passing through a dam count as a discharge under the Clean Water Act?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 35-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 35-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 19-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1527.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 19-3"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}