PORTLAND — A state regulatory agency acted legally when it approved a massive residential development around Moosehead Lake, the supreme court ruled Thursday, giving the green light to a project that critics contend could spoil the character of the North Woods made famous by writer Henry David Thoreau.

General Assistance spending is excessive, he says, but officials say localities are being victimized.

Lawmakers and attorneys in at least two states are considering proposals that would require Facebook and other social networks to grant access to loved ones when a family member dies, essentially making the site contents part of a person’s digital estate.