MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Fridley residents got some star-power behind them Wednesday night as they continue to look for answers to why their city has such high cancer rates.

Erin Brockovich told city residents in a meeting that she’s concerned about the safety of their soil, air and water. The environmental activist wants to investigate the matter more closely and will start by finding out more about their individual cancer cases.

Fridley’s cancer rate is 7.6 percent higher than the average for the rest of Minnesota. The state blames that on a large number of lung cancer cases caused by smoking.

But some residents (and Brockovich) think there may be more to it.

Read The Original Story On Fridley’s Cancer Rates Here

“It won’t be easy,” Brockovich told the group. “It won’t happen overnight. We’re not going to misguide you in any way. We’re not angry at anybody. We’re not here to mudsling. We want to work with everybody.”

Julie Roberts played the environmental activist in the film “Erin Brokovich.” Brockovich pursued legal action against a California utility for allegedly contaminating groundwater, and won.