On April 30, 2025, the federal government filed a notice of appeal in the First Circuit Court of Appeals of the preliminary injunction issued by the District Court in Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council v. USDA (No. 25-cv-97). The federal government filed its brief on August 6, 2025. The plaintiffs filed their brief on September 29, 2025. Oral argument was held on February 5, 2026. On August 7, 2026, the court issued its judgment, affirming the District Court’s preliminary injunction