FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said he’s withholding a 2.8% pay increase from air traffic controllers to make certain adjustments to increase efficiency. The move is likely to agitate an already-demoralized workforce amid a staffing shortage, Allyson Versprille reports.

Congress approved funding for a 3.8% pay increase in April — 1% of which had already been provided to controllers in January. Lawmakers gave Bedford discretion to dole out the remaining funds once he determines that “improvements in workforce scheduling, staffing utilization, or other operational efficiencies are achieved.”

Bedford has said the agency won’t distribute the pay increase until the National Air Traffic Controllers Association agrees to an adjustment increasing the time controllers are actively managing traffic during a shift. The agency and NATC have also discussed modifying schedules and leave availability to increase staffing during known peak travel times. They’re also considering whether to allow fewer controllers to take leave on historically high-traffic days, while increasing leave availability on slower days.

As the administration seeks to crack down on workers leaving shifts early during slow periods, the FAA is taking steps to fire two air traffic controllers determined to have left their shifts early before an Air Canada Express plane collided with a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport in March. Read More

Latest on Mega Rail Merger: Opponents of Union Pacific’s proposed merger with Norfolk Southern are debuting a new interactive map to argue how a combined railroad will affect local communities nationwide, Zach Williams reports. The map aims to undermine UP’s claim that it would have enough capacity to handle traffic increases if the STB approves the deal.

“The data shows the merger would significantly escalate train traffic, resulting in longer gate-down times, a greater risk of blocked crossings, and increased challenges for emergency responders along affected corridors,” reads a press release from the Stop the Merger Coalition that includes rival railroads and shippers groups.

• Meanwhile, the STB extended its deadline to Sept. 30 for parties to officially notify the agency that they wish to comment or otherwise participate in the review of the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger. The previous deadline was Sept. 4.

E&C Advances Clean Air Act Bills: The House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced two vehicle-related measures to alter the Clean Air Act to prevent state standards on the control of emissions for existing locomotives (H.R. 3194) and prevent the enforcement of “engine idling restrictions” for certain buses (H.R. 9317), Torrence Banks reports.