Chairman Kevin Mccarty said that the golf course water permit was issued on the understanding that the county would build reuse water lines; only later did he discover that that technology was up to 10 years away. He insisted that his choice to rescind the permit came from learning that the golf course would be dipping into drinking water supplies and the Everglades water conservation area for its irrigation, not from the recent pressure leveled against him.

However, John Cheshir, director of Palm Beach County?EUR??,,????'???s Facilities Development and Operations Department, whose office filed the water permit application, argued that the county made it clear in the application that there was no or never had been an intention to use reclaimed water. In fact, the application included a letter from the county?EUR??,,????'???s water utilities department which clearly stated that water reuse was not possible because the course was out of range of the nearest plant. ?EUR??,,????'??[The board] was never under that impression,?EUR??,,????'?? he said.