(RALEIGH) -- The North Carolina House of Representatives voted for a controversial bill that would legalize a much-debated form of natural gas drilling known as fracking. The drilling method has flown through the Legislature in less than two weeks.

Rep. Mike Stone of Lee County said this is a step in a process and drilling could be stopped later. "The no vote, if you're only going to vote no, is in two and a half years from now when you have the rules, so it's important that we move forward.  We answer the questions and know what we are voting on for two and a half years from now," said Stone.

Lee County is one of the key areas with gas deposit, as is Orange County. Democratic Rep. Joe Hackney of Orange County said he does not appreciate others speaking for his area.

"We have the Senator from Charlotte and a member of the House from McDowell and Rep. (Mike) Hager (Rutherford Co.) instructing us on how fast we are going to get the gas out of the ground," said Hackney.

The House voted 66 to 43 in favor of the measure that would overhaul the state's energy policy to allow drilling for natural gas. The House margin is not enough to withstand an override from Governor Perdue. The Senate, which last week approved a different version of the proposal, will consider the House version next week.