COOS BAY — Port officials plan to hire a Georgia consulting firm to identify businesses that might be interested in the area if a liquefied natural gas terminal is built on Coos Bay’s North Spit.

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay commissioners authorized executive director Jeffrey Bishop to sign a contract limited to $40,000 with Bruce Facility Planning Consultants of Norcross, Ga. The company will consider the area’s general strengths as weaknesses, as well as what industries might find it convenient to build next to an LNG terminal, Bishop said.

The port will use money from its agreement with Jordan Cove Energy Project, which has been paying the port $160,000 a month.

The commissioners also agreed to a request from Bishop to alter the port’s agreement with Jordan Cove, for the LNG developer to pay an additional $400,000 over four months for various projects related to developments on the North Spit.

“This is an opportunity to get a little fuel in the tank, so to speak,” Bishop said.

The port’s option agreement, which involves purchasing Weyerhaeuser Co. property on the North Spit and supplying some land to Jordan Cove, is set to expire Dec. 1.

The commissioners agreed to the study, though Commissioner Caddy McKeown was concerned about the scope of the project.

“I’m fine with this as long as we are looking beyond the Jordan Cove siting,” she said.

Bishop said the consultants would consider industries benefiting from a ready source of natural gas, which would be available from the existing county pipeline.

Commissioner McKeown, David Kronsteiner and Jerry Hampel agreed to the contract. Commissioners Dan Smith and Brady Scott were absent.