Sierra Club urging all citizens to help them keep funding intact for safe water programs

There was cause for concern and hope along Milwaukee's lakefront Monday morning.

It's where members of the Sierra Club and other environmental groups gathered and urged voters to let Congress know they don't support cuts to the budgets in the EPA and the Department of the Interior.

Hearings could happen in the House of Representatives as early as next week.

Organizers of the demonstration which included holding hands as a sign of unity say this is one issue that has bi-partisan support.

They noted that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has also gone on record to oppose President's Trumps plan to reduce federal funds for programs that protect water, including The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

The possible cuts are in the initial budget proposal for 2018.

President Trump said the EPA is a job killer.

The EPA has the option to appeal the proposed cuts.

Todd Ambs of Healing Our Waters, Great Lakes Coalition said even future clean ups could be jeopardized by the budget cuts.

"Invasive species that have gotten into the lakes to polluted runoff that causes problems to toxic hot spots from years past that are still in need of being cleaned up. So we've made some progress but there's a lot more work to be done."