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It just takes one trip to the gas pump to realize just how expensive it is to fill up your vehicle.For North Dakotans, it's more expensive than anywhere in the continental United States.And some experts say, if we can't increase the supply of gas to our state soon, prices will continue to climb higher.Tom Gerhardt has more...The next few days are critical to fuel prices in North Dakota. Gas is in short supply in the Midwest. A combination of storms, fires, and temporary refinery shutdowns for maintenance are to blame.Mike Rud, ND Petroleum Retailers: "I think the worst is yet to come. I think as we get in the middle of September the pinch is really gonna hit because these refineries are gonna be down and they may have some stuff in storage right now that they can pass along but once it runs out what they have in storage is gone that's when the issue is gonna take hold and were gonna be out a million and a half barrels a day in the midwest and the great plains and that's when the struggle is really gonna start to keep people in product."Locally, the Mandan Refinery is operating at full capacity. Spokesman Leif Peterson says they're on pace to produce a record amount of gas. Peterson says they're filling all of their contracts, and distributing what's left over to the region. He says the issue lies with refineries in Montana, Minnesota, and Kansas.Since I've been at the Mandan Refinery in 1989 I've never seen a situation like this where the supply is so tight in this area. This is very unusual.Governor Hoeven says his office is doing three things to help: First, truckers are able to spend more time on the road to help increase the fuel supply.Second, the governor says he's working with officials in the industry to get product to North Dakota.And thirdly, Hoeven wrote this letter to the EPA today, asking to import Canadian fuel 20 days ahead of a scheduled agreement.Gov, Hoeven: "We've made the request to EPA. We hope to get an affirmative decision from them tomorrow that would enable Canadian gasoline to come in. And like I say that's product that will come in September 16th anyway so we're hoping to get a jump on it and again bring more supply to the region."Meanwhile, you continue to pay the price at the pump. The average price is 3.03 in North Dakota, and higher in Bismarck Mandan.Rud says major retail brands like Tesoro and Cenex will continue to get shipments of gas, but likely not as much as they'd like.He says smaller stations will be affected the most, and that it will be hard to meet everyone's needs in the next week or so if they can't find more product soon.