The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources cleared the way for two new shopping centers to be constructed in the Lehighton area by lifting a moratorium that prohibits connections to Lehighton’s central sewerage system.

DER officials said although they won’t bend on new hookups of residences to the system, it will allow malls to connect, providing residents with malfunctioning systems in two areas of Mahoning Township are hooked up as well.

The ruling clears the way for the proposed WalMart store near the Carbon Plaza Mall and a planned Lehighton Square Shopping Center that would be located along Route 209 at the Packerton-Jamestown boundary. That land is owned by the Kovatch Corporation, next to the K-Chevrolet and Cadillac parking lot.