B.__The organization retained to perform the certification audit must receive no financial benefit from timber harvesting on the land or from the entity being audited, except for the contractual relationship for the audit service.

Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §8012, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. KKKK, §1, is amended to read:

4. Licensed forester. "Licensed professional forester" means a person licensed pursuant to Title 32, chapter 75 76.

Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §8013, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. KKKK, §1, is amended to read:

§8013. Administration of cost-share fund; procedure

The bureau shall administer the grant cost-share fund pursuant to this section.

1. Eligibility. The bureau may award grants provide cost- share funds to a licensed professional forester seeking initial who has obtained independent 3rd-party certification or recertification as a forest resource manager in order that the forester's client landowners may obtain the benefits accruing from such certification. The bureau may provide cost-share funds to a landowner who has obtained independent 3rd-party certification or recertification that the landowner's forest lands are well managed if that landowner does not own more than 1,000 acres of forest land statewide.

2. Amount of cost-share funds. The bureau may provide a grant cost-share funds to a licensed professional forester or landowner in an amount equal to 50% of the cost of obtaining independent 3rd-party certification as a forest resource manager or $1,000, whichever is less that the landowner's forest lands are well managed.

For purposes of this subsection, "cost of obtaining independent 3rd-party certification" means the fee paid by the licensed forester or landowner to an external auditor.

3. Repayment. A licensed professional forester or landowner who accepts a grant cost-share funds but who fails to qualify as a certified forest resource manager within one year of receiving the grant or who fails to retain certification for the full certification period shall repay the full amount of the