Clean Water Authority Restoration Act of 2005

The Clean Water Authority Restoration Act of 2005 (S. 912) sought to expand the scope of federal protection over American waterways by redefining which bodies of water fall under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. The bill proposed replacing the term "navigable waters" with a much broader definition of "waters of the United States," which would include smaller or seasonal bodies of water such as streams, wetlands, ponds, and mudflats.

For the average citizen, this legislation would have increased federal oversight and permit requirements for activities affecting these smaller water sources, even those located on private property. The primary goal was to restore federal protections that had been limited by Supreme Court rulings, ensuring that pollution or development in upstream or isolated waters could be regulated to protect the overall water quality of the nation's larger river systems and lakes.