that no energy corridor be built in the Mackenzie Delta region. At the same time, the commission saw no significant environmental risk further south through the Mackenzie Valley. Berger suggested that a number of sanctuaries and protected areas be created for threatened and endangered species, particularly Porcupine caribou, white whales, several bird species, and other animals inhabiting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Economic impact The commission found no significant economic benefit from the pipelines. The report concluded that large-scale projects based on non-renewable energy sources rarely provide long-term employment, and that those locals that did find work during construction could only fill low-skill, low-wage positions. In addition, Berger feared that pipeline development would undermine local economies which relied on hunting, fishing, and trapping, possibly even increasing economic hardship in the area. Berger ultimately found that the economy of the region would not be harmed by not building the pipeline. Social impact The commission believed that the pipeline process had not taken native culture seriously and that any development needed to conform to the wishes of those who lived there. Berger predicted that the "social consequences of the pipeline will not only be serious—they will be devastating." The commission was particularly concerned about the role of natives in development plans. At the time the report was released, there were several ongoing negotiations over native land claims in the area, and Berger suggested that pipeline construction be delayed until those claims were settled. The commission found that the local population would not accept development activity without some native control. In addition, land claims were part of a broader native rights issues that needed to be settled between the government and the First Nations. In Berger's view, rapid development in the north would preclude settlement of those important issues because of the influx of non-native populations and growing business interests. Recommendations Justice Berger recommended a ten-year moratorium to deal with critical issues, such as settling Aboriginal land claims and setting aside key conservation areas, before attempting to build the proposed pipeline. Initiated in 1999 by Aboriginal leaders from across the Northwest Territories, the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline was the second attempt to build a gas pipeline down the Mackenzie Valley. See also Abe Okpik External links CBC Digital Archives – The Berger Pipeline Inquiry 1974 in Canada Canadian commissions and inquiries First Nations history History of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region History of the