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ESCANABA -- A nationwide initiative through the Small Business Administration, or SBA, could be starting right here in the U.P.  Currently, Michigan Works, U.P. airports, and other businesses and organizations are working together to bring the green aviation industry here through a large SBA grant.

And that could mean more jobs and more business.

Around 500 aircraft are decommissioned every year and the numbers are growing.  But instead of heading to the landfill, companies like Boeing are pushing to build the aviation recycling and dismantling industry.

From engine parts to foam from the seats, almost all parts of a plane can be reused.  And through an SBA $500,000 grant, officials hope to provide business services to jumpstart not only that, but the other areas of the green aviation industry right here in the U.P.

"It's really in its infancy," explained representative for Marquette County, Paul Arsenault.  "It's over in Europe and used more over there than here in the U.S., but it's growing and we are in the leading edge of it now in Marquette and Delta County.  We currently have a few prospects in Marquette County now, and they will be filing through the processes.  For every manufacturing job you create, there are seven or eight spin-offs."

Delta County and Sawyer International Airport, along with other businesses and organizations, are now applying for the grant.  And if the business does locate here, officials say others are bound to follow.

"You get one down the road of ours and people say, you know, you get the first one and it's just a snowball effect," explained Delta County Airport Assistant Manager, Kelly Smith.

And they hope to make this a U.P.-wide effort.

"Some of the keys to this grant are to provide commercialization for research and development," Arsenault said.  "We have several small corporations in the U.P. that have research and development but no means or money to commercialize it, and the grant will allow that to happen as well."

The group hopes to send in the final grant application on August 16, but they say it will be about 30 days before they'll know whether or not they'll receive the funding.