In a key decision Tuesday in the ongoing legal fight over net neutrality, a federal appeals court upheld the Federal Communications Commission repeal of Obama-era net neutrality rules, but struck down a key provision that blocked states from passing their own net neutrality protections, CNET reports.

“The DC Circuit Court of Appeals also remanded another piece of the order back to the FCC and told the agency to take into consideration other issues, like the effect that the repeal of protections will have on public safety,” CNET reports.

CNET adds: “The Republican-led FCC voted in 2017 to roll back the popular rules, which prohibited broadband companies from blocking or slowing access to the internet in a 3-2 vote along party lines. The rules also barred Internet providers from charging companies to deliver their content faster.”

The report notes that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai applauded the latest ruling as a win for the agency and a “victory for consumers, broadband deployment, and the free and open Internet.”

“He said the court not only upheld its repeal of the rules, but it also upheld the agency’s so-called ‘transparency rule,’ which requires broadband providers to disclose when they’re making any changes to their service,” CNET reports.

Pai is quoted saying in a statement: “Since we adopted the Restoring Internet Freedom Order, consumers have seen 40% faster speeds and millions more Americans have gained access to the Internet. A free and open Internet is what we have today and what we’ll continue to have moving forward.”