A major investor is positioning itself to take control of the Australian company trying to build coal export terminals in Oregon and Washington.

A Denver-based private equity firm, Resource Capital Funds, could eventually own as much as 55 percent of Ambre Energy, according to the terms of a deal Ambre shareholders will be asked to approve when they meet this week.

It’s unclear what effect, if any, the change would have on coal export terminals that have stirred region-wide interest. Ambre says it remains well positioned to build the projects in Boardman and Longview, Wash.

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