This project is to modify an existing regulation. The modification would make bear resistant food storage canisters mandatory parkwide, eliminating an exception ("required only within 7 air miles of any road") that was built into the original food storage regulation. This exception was due to unavailability of canisters for those entering from Forest Service trailheads and to accomomodate long distance hikers. Canisters are now more available from a variety of sources, and many long distance hikers are already using canisters, so this change will have very minimal effect on a very small group visitors. This change better protects bears and simplifies a confusing regulation. We would like to announce this modification this fall/winter and have next summer as a lead-in before the regulation is fully enforced in 2009.