Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §6209, sub-§7 is enacted to read:

7.__Management of forest land.__When timber harvesting occurs on land acquired with money from the Land for Maine's Future Fund, the harvesting must be done by a logger who is certified as a master logger under a 3rd-party verification program.__When timber harvesting occurs on land on which the State holds a conservation easement acquired with money from the Land for Maine's Future Fund, the harvesting must be done by a logger who is certified as a master logger under a 3rd-party verification program.__For the purposes of this subsection, "timber harvesting" means the cutting or removal of timber for the primary purpose of selling or processing forest products.

Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §1826, sub-§5 is enacted to read:

5. Cutting by certified master logger.__The cutting must be carried out by a logger who is certified as a master logger under a 3rd-party verification program.

Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §1834, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 678, §13, is amended to read:

2. Grant of permits. The bureau may grant permits and enter into contracts to cut timber, harvest grass and wild foods, tap maple trees for sap and cultivate and harvest crops provided that those permits and contract rights create revocable licenses to the permittee or party to the contract and do not create any real property interest in the nonreserved public lands. The bureau may not grant a permit to cut timber to or enter into a contract to cut timber with any person who is not certified as a master logger under a 3rd-party verification program.

Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §1848, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 678, §13, is amended to read:

2. Grant of permits. The bureau may grant permits and enter into contracts to cut timber, harvest grass and wild foods, tap maple trees for sap and cultivate and harvest crops provided that such permits and contract rights create revocable licenses to the permittee or party to the contract and do not create any real property interest in the public reserved lands. The bureau may not grant a permit to cut timber to or enter into a contract to cut timber with any person who is not certified as a master logger under a 3rd-party verification program.

Sec. 5. 33 MRSA §477-A is enacted to read: