U.S. District Judge Harry Barnes has denied the Hempstead County Hunting Club’s motion for a temporary restraining order to stop pre-construction work at the proposed Southwestern Electric Power Co. coal-fired power plant near Fulton, Ark.

Barnes also rejected the preliminary injunction in a decision issued Thursday from the Texarkana federal courthouse.

The hunting club asked for a temporary re-straining order and preliminary injunction after aerial photos showed work at the site had created about 100 cleared acres, a retention pond and dirt roads and portable building...