Considering its current definition (see below) and the wish to be politically correct, I wonder whether the word has come to acquire any racist overtone.
What is a coal miner hewer-Ask.com. Coal miner hewer is a person who hews or cuts the coal from its natural situation. The hewer is the actual coal-digger removing it from the coal face.
Coal is a fossil fuel that is burned as an energy source, which results in emissions such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and sulfur. Coal use is associated with waste products both from the mining process to acquire the coal and also from the actual use of coal itself. Hydroelectric energy does not involve waste, but does pose potential problems to waterways.