The National Guard Bureau said Wednesday it would conduct a full environmental review as part of its proposal to allow fighter pilot training missions as low as 500 feet above the hills of Western Maine.

The word was touted as a victory for Gov. John Baldacci, who has been pressing for a full review of possible consequences for the environment and for tourism in the Condor Military Operating Area, which includes parts of Franklin and Oxford counties. Currently, fighter jets must fly at least 7,000 feet above ground when training there.

According to Baldacci, the Air National Guard Readiness Center at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland gave verbal confirmation of the review to the Maine Air National Guard. Baldacci said in a statement that he awaited written confirmation of the review.

“This is good news for people who have concerns,” about the low flights, said David Farmer, Baldacci’s spokesman.

Baldacci had said an earlier environmental assessment didn’t go far enough to address residents’ concerns about the effects. He pressed for a full environmental impact statement, a more detailed document that requires studying possible positive and negative effects, as well as alternatives to the proposed low flights.

“We’re looking for the most formal process possible,” Farmer said. “So, no matter how the information comes down, we know all the information has been considered.”

Farmer said there was no word on a timetable for the assessment. The National Guard had planned to file a proposal for low-flight training with the Federal Aviation Administration this spring, with the goal of beginning training exercises in October.

National Guard pilots from Massachusetts and Vermont would conduct low-flight exercises in the operating area, flying at speeds of 350 to 450 mph.

State Sen. Walter Gooley, a Republican who represents most of Franklin County, said regardless of the findings, he’s not convinced the exercises should be conducted in populated areas.

“If they could do it over national forests over New Hampshire and Vermont, they’re all forests,” Gooley said. He said the national forests made more sense than Western Maine, which is “just about all privately owned land.”

He said his constituents had concerns about the safety of small aircraft flying in the area, as well as the possibility of scaring babies and discouraging tourists.

State Rep. Tom Saviello, an independent who represents House District 90, including the towns of Avon, Strong and Wilton, said he was happy the National Guard was conducting a fair evaluation.

Saviello praised Baldacci and fellow legislators for continuing to push for a full environmental assessment. He said that whether or not the proposed change to 500 feet is approved, at least there would be a fair evaluation of the impact.

“At the end of the day, if we can save at least one soldier’s life, I don’t mind being disrupted (by low training flights),” Saviello said.

Baldacci conveyed a similar sentiment in a letter sent Wednesday afternoon to the Air National Guard Readiness Center.

“While we understand the unique needs of the military to train, and support the vital mission the National Guard performs, it is imperative that a full analysis be conducted to understand the impacts, mitigate public concerns, and determine if the area proposed is appropriate and is the only space such training can be done,” Baldacci wrote.

Gooley disagreed.

“We all have a patriotic feeling toward this,” he said. “The right solution is not flying over populated areas.”

Farmer said the new assessment likely would include more public hearings for residents of the affected areas, though the hearings had yet to be scheduled.