WASHINGTON – Members of the Colorado congressional delegation are calling to extend the wind-energy production tax credit as part of the payroll tax extension.

Eight members of the delegation, including Democratic Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennett, as well as Democratic Reps. Diana DeGette, Ed Perlmutter and Jared Polis signed a letter to the chairmen of the conference committee.

Also included are Republican Reps. Cory Gardner, Scott Tipton and Mike Coffman. Coffman joined the other members of the delegation late Tuesday in their letter. The wind-energy production tax credit gives wind-energy farms a 2.2 cents-per-kilowatt credit on their taxes each year for the first 10 years and will expire at the end of the year.

In January Vestas Wind Systems, the largest wind turbine manufacturer, threatened to lay off 1,600 people if the tax credit is not extended. It has four manufacturing plants on the Front Range and employs 1,700 people in Colorado.

“Unless the wind PTC is renewed in the first quarter of this year, new wind-energy development projects and the thousands of jobs associated with those projects are predicted to drop off precipitously after 2012,” said the delegation in their letter.

Colorado generates the third-highest percentage of power from wind and is home to several wind developers. Colorado employs at least 6,000 workers in wind development.

Kelcie Pegher is an intern for The Durango Herald and a student at American University in Washington, D.C. Reach her at herald@durangoherald.com.