Frank Piccininni is a biologist, environmental attorney, and passionate environmentalist who is dedicated to restoring functional habitat to our human-impacted landscape. Frank received his J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law, his M.S. in Biological Sciences from Marshall University, and his B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
As a Partner and Co-Founder at SMPIL Consulting, Ltd., Frank provides expert testimony for community and advocacy groups. Frank also collaborates with real estate developers to inform their land use decisions with sustainable design and empirical data. Additionally, Frank Piccininni conducts research projects to further the understanding of local environmental issues and the efficacy of potential interventions.
Informed by his field research in ecology, Frank founded Spadefoot Design and Construction, LLC. Through Spadefoot, habitat restoration services are offered to private, public, and commercial clients. Although its menu of services is continually expanding, Spadefoot specializes in invasive species identification and removal, ecological restoration, construction of green stormwater infrastructure (e.g., bioswales and rain gardens), and adaptive management.
As a fervent advocate of local environmental stewardship, Frank sits on the Board of Directors and is the Chair of the Habitat Restoration Committee for Save The Great South Bay. Frank is Co-Chair of the Land Use Committee of the Environmental Law Section of the New York State Bar Association. Furthermore, as the Regional Co-Director of the American Chestnut Foundation he works to establish mother orchards across Long Island to breed blight-resistant Chestnut trees. Frank has several peer-reviewed publications, and he is a member of the editorial advisory board of the Environmental Claims Journal. Most importantly, as a native Long Islander and father, Frank aspires to bring back the health of this beautiful island for the prosperity and enjoyment of future generations!
Publications:
- Tollin, H.M., F. Piccininnni & C. Lui (2016). Courts Uphold Denials Of Coverage Even in the Abesence of Mold, Lead, and Asbestos Exclusions. Environmental Claims Journal, 28(1), 1-18.
- Piccininni, F. (2015). Small Parcels, Island Biogeography, and the Conservation Easement Tax Expenditure. ABA Committee on Smart Growth and Green Infrastructure Newsletter, 8(3), 1-5.
- Piccininni, F. (2014). The Evolving “Nature” of Environmental Risk: A Responsible Approach for Commercial and Residential Real Estate. Environmental Claims Journal, 26(4), 308-318.
- Piccininni, F. & A. Preller (2014). An Energy Policy in “FITS” and Starts: Using Feed-In Tariffs to Encourage the Large-Scale Deployment of Distributed Renewable Energy Systems. ABA Committee on Energy Infrastructure and Siting Newsletter, 8(3), 1-4.
- Piccininni, F. (2014). Adaptation to Climate Change and the Everglades Ecosystem. Environmental Claims Journal, 26(1), 63-83.
- Piccininni, F. (2008). Terrestrial Habitat Use of Marbled Salamanders Ambystoma opacum: A Site-Specific Approach. (Masters Thesis)