New Jersey environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers are pressuring Republican Governor Chris Christie and his political allies to revise proposed green energy objectives, The Associated Press recently reported.

Under Christie's plan, New Jersey would reduce overall energy consumption 17 percent by 2021, with 22.5 percent of total power coming from renewable resources.

Opponents of the plan say the target should be a 20 percent overall reduction. They also call for a 30 percent green energy objective established by the previous governor, Democrat John Corzine, according to the AP.

At a recent hearing, Democratic Senator Bob Smith said the state will only attract investment from green energy companies if the targets for renewable power are robust, the news source reports.

The hearing occurred on the same day Christie's office announced a $20 million program to incentivize businesses to install energy saving measures in buildings.

The New Jersey debate unfolds at a time when other states are aggressively pursuing renewable energy initiatives.

Massachusetts and Washington are both researching methods for generating hydrokinetic power from the waves, tides and currents produced along their coasts. Illinois passed a law forming committees to explore wind generation in Lake Michigan. Hawaii has set a goal of producing 70 percent of its power from green energy by 2030, and Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas recently announced he wants his state to become a national leader in wind power generation.