Hurricane Laura was forecast to come ashore by this morning near the Texas-Louisiana border as a Category 4 storm, bringing with it a storm surge of about 20 feet and wind gusts near 140 mph. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a regional emergency declaration for Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, providing regulatory relief for commercial drivers who are providing direct assistance toward relief efforts. The hurricane threatens a center of the U.S. energy industry. The government said 84% of Gulf oil production and an estimated 61% of natural gas production were shut down. Nearly 300 platforms were evacuated before the storm hit.