Speaking on Monday, Kimmins said she did not want to get into the detail of the grounds for her appeal until it was “formally lodged”.
She also said she advised executive ministers of her plans to appeal the judgement at its last meeting, but that the decision to take another legal challenge was hers.
She said officials in her department had been working with staff in the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), which holds responsibility for climate change targets contained in the Climate Change Act.
“It’s important we do appeal the judgement, in relation to the ruling a huge amount of work went into it, we were confident going into the case we had done as much as possible but it wasn’t to be.
“From the next day we were back to the drawing board, back working at this, and I will not be found wanting in terms of the work that will go into this to get things done.”
The minister added that she was “fighting tooth and nail” to ensure the road is built as quickly as possible.