The potential impact of coal seam gas mining on the Illawarra's spectacular yet fragile environment was at the centre of a Wollongong City Council submission to a parliamentary inquiry yesterday.Councillors Jill Merrin and Greg Petty joined council officers Peter Kofod and Renee Campbell in addressing a panel of seven MPs in Mittagong during the sixth of seven public meetings being held in NSW.Cr Merrin said she felt the panel responded well to the issues the council raised."I felt like they wanted to listen to what people had to say," she said."I initially thought there might be some aggressive questioning, but the MPs approached it with a really open mind."Cr Merrin said she told the panel Wollongong residents were "overwhelmingly against" coal seam gas (CSG) mining in the region, particularly in the sensitive water catchment areas in the northern suburbs.She also drew the MPs' attention to the vocal protests that had been staged on Austinmer Beach earlier this year and the recent Sea Cliff Bridge walk on the national day of action."As the third largest city in NSW, the State Government should be listening to the people of Wollongong," she said.Cr Petty spoke about the community's concerns over potential contamination of the region's drinking water supply should CSG exploratory activities continue to occur and the conflicting and overlapping legislation governing the land."My greatest hope is the Government doesn't allow exploration or production of CSG in the water catchment area surrounding Darkes Forest," she said.The CSG inquiry has received more than 1000 submissions, including letters from the Northern Illawarra Sustainability Alliance, National Parks Association Illawarra branch, Coalcliff Community Association, Stop CSG Illawarra and Helensburgh resident Natasha Watson.The MPs were also addressed at yesterday's Mittagong meeting by members of the Country Women's Association, Scenic Hills Association, Southern Highlands Coal Action Group, Rivers SOS and Campbelltown, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly and Camden councils.