This afternoon. the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals swatted down big polluters’ attempts to block this nation’s most important progress on cutting climate change pollution. This court decision is a huge victory for clean air in America and for progress on climate change.

A coalition of Texas polluters are responsible, yet again, for this unsuccessful effort to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from curbing global warming pollution from moving vehicles and the biggest industry polluters.

Earthjustice and others represented Environmental Defense Fund as a court intervenor in opposing the polluters’ motions for a court stay on the endangerment finding and the EPA’s action on carbon pollution, which has been scientifically found to harm and endanger human health and welfare.

Reacting to today’s court decision,Earthjustice attorney David Baron said:

The facts show that climate change pollution is major threat to us and our children, and that delay in attacking the problem just isn’t acceptable. The facts also show that we can take strong, commonsense steps to curb climate pollution without harming businesses or the economy. It is time to get on with the business of cleaning up our air, protecting America’s future and creating clean-energy jobs.

Now, it’s also time for members of Congress, especially the leaders of the incoming Congress, to take their rightful cue from this court decision and begin working on building a clean-energy economy instead of blocking it.

The big polluters who have been trying to stall and obstruct progress, and their handmaidens in Congress — many of the newly elected representatives and many of the new Republican committee chairpersons — would be well-served to listen, and instead of spending their time protesting safeguards for the American public, they should start working on creating a healthy, safe, and prosperous future for America.