ST. PETERSBURG — Google is asking federal regulators for permission to release up to 32 million Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes in Florida and California over the next two years. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing the proposal and accepting public comments through June 5 before deciding whether to issue an experimental use permit.

The plan targets Culex mosquitoes, which can spread West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile virus is the leading mosquito-borne disease in the United States. Google says artificial intelligence and robotic systems would be used to breed, sort, and release the mosquitoes at scale as part of its long-running 'Debug' initiative.

The proposed method relies on releasing male mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacteria that prevents viable offspring when they mate with wild females. Only female mosquitoes bite humans. "A male mosquito has never bitten anybody," said Chad Huff, public information officer for the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District. "It's not like you're releasing a male mosquito and it's able to bite you."

"When a Wolbachia-infected male mates with a female mosquito, they're just not able to reproduce," Huff said. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District is already testing the approach and has observed population reductions in some areas.

Some residents expressed support for the effort, while others raised concerns. "You know, when you make a commitment like that, you really can't step back from it," said Alan Teschner, who questioned potential health risks. "I think it's interesting," said Brent Nye. "I'm not sure whether I would want them in my backyard because there are going to be a lot of things that go wrong. I'd rather have some other state to experiment on."