The need
Like many local governments in rural Indiana, the Town of Gentryville delivers essential public services on a modest budget. The community of 300 is served by a four-person police department that responds to emergencies and supports public safety within a 20-mile radius of the town. Attractions such as the childhood home of Abraham Lincoln and Holiday World in nearby Santa Claus, Ind. draw visitors that place additional demands on officers.
At the start of 2024, an aging two-car vehicle fleet placed the department in a tough spot. With repair costs eating into the police department’s shoestring transportation budget, town leaders saw an urgent need to find a reliable, economic replacement for one or both vehicles.
The opportunity
In January 2024, Gentryville Marshal Alfred Braunecker was searching for grant opportunities related to clean energy and electrification to support his department. A conversation with Mary Hess of the Southwestern Indiana Citizens for Quality of Life led him to contact the Indiana Resilience Funding Hub (IRFH) about potential funding opportunities.
In consultation with IRFH, Braunecker identified an opportunity to replace the town’s gas-powered, low-efficiency fleet with electric vehicles (EVs) through the Indiana Office of Energy Development (IOED). In November 2023, IOED announced a $1.46 million-funding opportunity for local governments to increase energy efficiency through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program.
With less than two weeks to submit the grant proposal, Braunecker worked with IRFH staff to define the department’s needs and track down estimated costs. After reviewing EV makes and models, Braunecker proposed fully or partially replacing Gentryville’s police fleet with the Ford Lightning XLT, an electric truck that features an extended range battery. The proposal included funds for two electric trucks as well as funds for a 240-volt charging station and police light bars.
Support and resources
In Gentryville’s grant proposal, IRFH staff helped articulate the benefits of fleet electrification for the community, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and quantified the energy and cost savings that the EVs would bring using DOE’s fuel economy website.
Staff consulted the Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool to gather equity data for the region, identifying one disadvantage community tract burdened with health and environmental challenges stemming from legacy pollution.
The award
In April 2024, Braunecker learned that IOED had awarded the Gentryville Police Department $77,000 for the purchase of one Ford Lightning XLT. The department received the vehicle in May and immediately put it to use.
Cost savings from the truck have exceeded expectations so far, with the EV reducing fuel costs by around 70 percent. Nearby communities have taken notice and have inquired about future opportunities to apply for EV funding.
“It's practical for us because there's no way we could ever afford to get a new vehicle,” Braunecker said. “I’m hoping we can apply the savings from lower fuel costs toward other equipment that the department needs.”
About the Environmental Resilience Institute
Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute brings together a broad coalition of government, business, nonprofit, and community leaders to help Indiana and the Midwest better prepare for the challenges of environmental change. By integrating research, education, and community, ERI is working to create a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. Learn more at eri.iu.edu.
