Abstract
In acoustics, we are often required to demonstrate compliance with a given criterion. The criteria may be specified in a Regulation or a specification. When acoustic measurements are conducted to demonstrate compliance, there needs to be a consideration of the uncertainties of measurement and there needs to be an understanding of what the criterion is requiring as well as an understanding of what you are measuring. For example, when measuring environmental noise to check compliance with an EPA criterion, is the case that the actual criterion level must never be exceeded or can it be exceeded by some amount for say 50% of the time. If you measure a noise level of 50.1 dBA when the criterion is nominally 50 dBA, is this really a fail or is it still a pass? In this paper, some of these complexities are explored primarily using the VIC EPA SEPP N-1 Regulation as an example.