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Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada has won praise for her water policy from a national water lobby.

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Clean Water Action named Yamada, D-Davis, a “clean water champion” this week, and awarded her a perfect score for her votes during the 2009-10 legislative session, according to a news release from Yamada\’s office.

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Nine other legislators in the California Assembly and Senate won perfect scores.

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“I am honored and humbled to receive this recognition,” Yamada said. “As a representative of the delta and member of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, I am keenly aware that the quality and safety of our state\’s precious water resources is critical to all Californians.”

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Clean Water Action\’s scorecard tallied votes on 20 bills addressing water quality, environmental justice, chemical regulation and waste reduction, the news release said. Yamada joined the lobby in opposing the water package that included a delta policy bill (SBX 71), a water conservation bill (SBX 77) and a bond measure for last November\’s ballot (SBX 72).

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The bills were “flawed,” Yamada wrote in the release. They contained unenforceable water rights, stalled action to “save the collapsing delta ecosystem, and pushed a “costly and destructive” peripheral canal.

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Yamada voted no on all three bills, and continues to oppose the “pork-barrel” water bond slated to go before voters in 2012.

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“Assemblymember Yamada has shown leadership on the issues our members care about,” said Miriam Gordon, Clean Water Action\’s California director. Speaking about Yamada\’s votes against the water package, “It took a lot of courage to oppose party leadership on this issue. We need to recognize this type of independent action that puts the needs of Californians ahead of party politics.”

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Clean Water Action is a 1.2 million-member national organization, including 85,000 in California, according to the release.

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