The Minnesota House voted Tuesday to temporarily ban the state Department of Natural Resources from enforcing a 2017 court order governing water use in communities around White Bear Lake.

The impact of the move, and its likelihood to become law, were unclear Tuesday.

The lawmaker who sponsored the White Bear Lake water bill, Rep. Linda Runbeck, R-Circle Pines, said the goal was put a one-year “pause” on everything, with the idea being that nothing would change during that period while lawmakers considered next steps.

The court order in question — by Ramsey County Judge Margaret Marrinan — appeared to have far-reaching impacts that neither the DNR nor the affected communities have been able to fully predict.

Depending on the water levels of the historically fluctuating lake, communities within a 5-mile radius could be forced to enact watering bans or other restrictions, according to the order. In addition, the order prevented the DNR from issuing new water permits unless it could determine the water would be sustainably drawn from underground aquifers that supply water to — or suck it out of — the lake.

Marrinan’s order was a victory for property owners in the area. They sued the DNR, accusing it of shirking its duty to protect the lake by allowing overpumping of groundwater for years. Marrinan agreed. The DNR is appealing the ruling. DNR officials declined to comment Tuesday afternoon.

Critics of Marrinan’s ruling say it goes too far for a ruling from a judge.

“There’s just a myriad of far-reaching policy that never had benefits of debate or public input,” Runbeck said Tuesday. For example, she said Stillwater already has exceeded its current allowance for pumping, while Hugo is approaching it. Depending on how the order is interpreted, that could bring development and new construction to a halt, she said.

“Writing policy is the purview of the legislative or executive branch,” she said.

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MN Gov. Tim Walz calls Friday special session; plans to extend powers However, Marrinan’s decision was based on the premise that state laws and rules already charge the DNR with protecting the lake by limiting groundwater pumping permits, and “the leadership of the DNR has failed,” she wrote.

Another odd wrinkle in Runbeck’s bill was the cross-partisan, cross-regional way some lawmakers lined up on it. For example, Rep. Matt Dean, a Bellwood Republican; Rep. Jean Wagenius, a Minneapolis Democrat; and Rep. John Lesch, a St. Paul Democrat, found themselves in agreement against the bill. Meanwhile, Peter Fischer, a Maplewood Democrat, supported it.

A parallel bill awaits action in the state Senate.