CREATE TABLE permits
(
    permit VARCHAR(200),
    nrOfpermits NUMBER
);

INSERT INTO permits (permit, nrOfpermits ) VALUES ('Individual NPDES w/ construction', 0);
INSERT INTO permits (permit, nrOfpermits ) VALUES ('Individual NPDES w/o construction', 0);
INSERT INTO permits (permit, nrOfpermits ) VALUES ('Renewals (COWS)', 2);
INSERT INTO permits (permit, nrOfpermits ) VALUES ('Approvals w/ Construction', 21);
INSERT INTO permits (permit, nrOfpermits ) VALUES ('Renewals (CHICKENS)', 25);
INSERT INTO permits (permit, nrOfpermits ) VALUES ('Approvals w/ Construction', 1);
INSERT INTO permits (permit, nrOfpermits ) VALUES ('Approvals w/o construction', 1);
INSERT INTO permits (permit, nrOfpermits ) VALUES ('Renewals (CHICKENS)', 1);

SELECT permitgroup, SUM(nrOfpermits)
FROM (SELECT substr(permit,1,instr(permit,' ')-1) permitgroup, nrOfpermits
      FROM permits)
GROUP BY permitgroup