Editor's Summary: The government has faced an ongoing dilemma in its quest to balance its policy decisions with the waste-to-energy industry. In this Article, Eric Koester examines what it will take for the industry to again become a significant solution in our energy and solid waste dilemmas. First, he looks at the impact of environmental regulations on the industry, including air emissions and waste ash products. He examines the impact changes in energy regulation have had and what the future of energy regulation and deregulation may yield for the waste-to-energy industry. He goes on to examine the impacts of Supreme Court rulings, project finance, and changes in tax programs on the waste-toenergy industry. Finally, he discusses what the future holds and determines if conditions have evolved over the past 30 years to again produce a scenario right for waste-to-energy development.