South of Butternut Gutter Road the preferred route follows the VELCO/CVPS 115 kv transmission line. From the intersection of the transmission line and road the route proceeds northeastward to VT313, and then east along the highway to US7.

The western alternative was chosen over the US7 alternative owing to potential impacts to critical bear habitat and because additional use of the US7 right-of-way would be avoided. (Preferred Route Meeting Minutes)

North of VT313 the preferred route parallels US7, but this choice of alternative is considered tenative at present. Both the preferred route and the alternate route along the CVPS 46 kv transmission line have the potential to do significant environmental damage. Expanding the right-of-way and removing vegetation along the highway would further fragment the wildlife environments near the highway. Running the pipeline along the transmission line would involve opening up the riparian canopy with probable impact on stream water quality. Both alternatives would cross a major National Wetland Inventory (NWI) wetland and an arm of another major NWI wetland. (Preferred Route Meeting Minutes)

The preferred pipeline route would include two significant stream crossings: of the Roaring Branch near the Village of Kansas, and of Mill Brook east of Sunderland Village.