We investigate a simple theory where baryon number ($B$) and lepton number ($L$) are local gauge symmetries. In this theory $B$ and $L$ are on the same footing and the anomalies are canceled by adding a single new fermionic generation. There is an interesting realization of the seesaw mechanism for neutrino masses. Furthermore, there is a natural suppression of flavor violation in the quark and leptonic sectors since the gauge symmetries and particle content forbid tree level flavor changing neutral currents involving the quarks or charged leptons. Also one finds that the stability of a dark matter candidate is an automatic consequence of the gauge symmetry. Some constraints and signals at the Large Hadron Collider are briefly discussed.

• Received 17 February 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.82.011901