x.com/BullTheoryio/status/2060810332831129782
2 corrections found
Google is planning to release 32 million mosquitoes across Florida and California.
The EPA notice does not propose 32 million total across the two states. It proposes up to 16 million in Florida in year 1 and 16 million in year 2, and the same again in California—up to 64 million total across Florida and California.
Full reasoning
EPA’s official Federal Register notice for Google LLC’s application says:
- Florida: up to 16,000,000 DQB male mosquitoes in year 1 and up to 16,000,000 in year 2.
- California: up to 16,000,000 in year 1 and up to 16,000,000 in year 2.
That means the proposal is up to 32 million per state over two years, or up to 64 million total across Florida and California. So the post’s wording — “32 million mosquitoes across Florida and California” — understates the proposal by half and misdescribes the scope.
I verified this against the official May 6, 2026 Federal Register notice for docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2025-3951.
1 source
- Federal Register, 91 FR 24542-24543 — Pesticide Experimental Use Permit; Receipt of Application; Comment Request (December 2025)
Google LLC is proposing to use ... for two years in California and Florida. In Florida, up to 16,000,000 DQB Male Mosquitoes are proposed to be released in year 1, and up to 16,000,000 released in year 2. In California, up to 16,000,000 are proposed to be released in year 1, and up to 16,000,000 released in year 2.
This new proposal is the largest deployment in US history.
It is not the largest U.S. mosquito-release deployment on record. In 2022, EPA approved a much larger Oxitec program in Florida and California that outside coverage summarized as allowing roughly 2.4–2.5 billion mosquitoes through 2024.
Full reasoning
There is clear evidence of a larger prior U.S. deployment.
In March 2022, EPA approved an Oxitec expansion and extension for genetically engineered mosquitoes in Florida and California. EPA’s own announcement says that approval covered 5,360 acres in Monroe County, Florida and 29,400 acres in four California counties through April 30, 2024.
Contemporaneous reporting on the EPA-set limits described that approval as allowing roughly 2.4 to 2.5 billion mosquitoes to be released in those states before the permit expired. That is far larger than Google’s current proposal, which the May 2026 Federal Register notice describes as up to 16 million in Florida in year 1 + 16 million in year 2, and the same in California — i.e. up to 64 million total across both states.
Because a prior U.S. program was already approved at a much larger scale, calling this Google proposal “the largest deployment in US history” is incorrect.
3 sources
- Following Review of Available Data and Public Comments, EPA Expands and Extends Testing of Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes to Reduce Mosquito Populations | US EPA
The EUP amendment extends the EUP until April 30, 2024, on 5,360 acres of Monroe County, Florida ... [and] expands the EUP to four counties in California ... consisting of 29,400 acres in Stanislaus, Fresno, Tulare, and San Bernardino counties.
- Why a U.S. Company Plans to Release 2.4 Billion Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
The Environmental Protection Agency has cleared the release of 2.4 billion genetically-modified mosquitoes in California and Florida.
- Federal Register, 91 FR 24542-24543 — Pesticide Experimental Use Permit; Receipt of Application; Comment Request (December 2025)
In Florida, up to 16,000,000 DQB Male Mosquitoes are proposed to be released in year 1, and up to 16,000,000 released in year 2. In California, up to 16,000,000 are proposed to be released in year 1, and up to 16,000,000 released in year 2.